This light and fruity expression is finished for eight months in Port pipes from Porto Cruz, the N°1 Porto company in the world. The spirit picks up intense embellishments of summer fruit, dark chocolate and cinnamon and a distinct pink hue.
NOSE: Toasted vanilla and light oak, rich dried fruits. TASTE: Refreshing spice with a citrus lemon tang. Caramelised sweetness with cinnamon. FINISH: Lingering, with sweet spice and delicate oak.
What Gary Says
Nose: Sweet young malt, hints of plum with a sour cereal and port wine note, hints of berries in cream and leather. Palate: Sweet, round waxy mouthfeel, smooth with only a scant hint of dark fruit in the back. Finish: Short, damp, and fleeting. Comments: Following up after a port-finished bourbon, this was far less satisfying. This is the first Glen Moray bottle I’ve bought, and for $30 – I went in with fairly low expectations. The nose was promising, and had me hopeful I had discovered a diamond in the rough, but the palate was a let down. Nothing off putting in this dram – I won’t be dumping the bottle (may experiment with mingling this with something else), but won’t be picking up another either.
Glenfiddich Age of Discovery – Red Wine Cask Finish 19 yrs old
40% ABV $165-$180 Website NOTE: If the link above takes you to their homepage, scroll down and select “United Kingdom” as the country.
What the Distiller Says
We created the third expression in our Age of Discovery Collection to commemorate the 1831 voyage of the HMS Beagle. The Beagle travelled around the globe and landed on the east coast of South America, allowing Charles Darwin to collect fossils that would lead to the development of his famous theory of evolution.
Aged 19 years, this edition is finished in oak casks that were once used to produce the complex, velvety wines of South America. The result is an extraordinarily rich single malt with exceptional smoothness, complemented by warm, spicy notes.
Celebrating the spirit of discovery, this expression can be found exclusively in selected Travel Retail outlets.
Tasting Notes COLOUR: Rich gold with a hint of ruby. NOSE: Toasted marshmallow with red berry and vanilla oak tannin. Ripe fruits and a hint of woody spice. TASTE: Spicy notes on first taste, deep and smooth with a velvety sweetness. Rich oak notes and berry sweetness. FINISH: Sweet with a long, lingering tannin.
What Gary Says
Nose: Dried fruit, specifically berries and grapes, toffee, leather and subtle smoke. Palate: Creamy mouthfeel, sweet, grapes, cherries and dark fruit, bits of chocolate, vanilla, pecans, and a hint of ginger. Finish: Moderately long, a tad drying but still on the sweet side. Comments: This was the biggest departure of the three, with more influence from the cask finish standing out. Quite nice with the fruit notes prominent, and easy to drink. If you’re not wanting to explore the subtle differences of the three, and are just looking for one that is more unique – this would be the one I’d pick; although the price tag is a little steep for me.
In homage to the intrepid Portuguese voyagers who went on to change our understanding of the new world, we created Glenfiddich’s first ever 19 Year Old single malt Scotch whisky.
Finished in fine, aged Madeira wine casks from an independent island winery dating back to 1850 we named this expression, Glenfiddich Age of Discovery.
An earthy, bright whisky with a warmth that fades to long sweetness. The first time we’ve used Madeira casks for incredible, rich depth.
Tasting Notes COLOUR: Antique gold. NOSE: Deep earthy aromas of sweet ripe fig and orange marmalade create a backdrop to bright notes –fresh gooseberry and grapes ripening on the vine. TASTE: Rich, spicy cinnamon and crushed black pepper rest on a deep earthy base. Caramelised fruits, crystallised ginger, raisins and hints of dry oak unravel. A satisfying, silky smooth, almost oily texture. FINISH: Dry with warmth that fades into sweet marmalade notes.
What Gary Says
Nose: Sweet, dark fruit (apricots, raisins, dates, figs), caramel and a sharper spice note; hints of clove and cinnamon over oak. Palate: Creamy mouthfeel, sweet and fruity, cherries with apricots, dusted with cinnamon and clove, spice notes kicking in stronger at the back. Finish: Moderately long, peaches and honey with white pepper. Comments: Compared with the Glenfiddich Age of Discovery – Bourbon Cask Reserve, this is also quite nice, but a fairly subtle difference. The finish here isn’t heavy handed, which in one respect I appreciate, but on the other hand – you hope for something a bit more “different”. If you’re a big Glenfiddich fan, and a whiskey geek to boot, this box set with the 200 mL might be worthwhile to appreciate the subtle differences. But if you’re hoping for a big change, you may be disappointed.
The Great American Rivers once transported fine oak casks filled with American bourbon towards New Orleans. Bourbon casks could only be used once, their aromas and flavours released quickly, without being exhausted by long maturation. Excellent for ageing single malt Scotch.
Our second release in the Age of Discovery collection and a first for us, Bourbon Cask Reserve is inspired by that history. It is our only expression exclusively matured in American bourbon casks, for 19 years. Creating a refined balance of spicy sweetness and rich dried fruit flavours.
Tasting Notes COLOUR: Autumn barley fields. NOSE: Warm, crunchy toffee and deep citrus notes. Marmalade on toast with fine orange liqueur balanced by dry, almost smoky oak tannin. TASTE: Intriguing layers of light tannin, underpinned by rich notes of vanilla pod, fine leather and Havana tobacco. Develops into a sweet, velvety mouth-feel with spicy hints of cardamom and nutmeg. FINISH: Warm, delightful long finish.
NOTE:Richard reviewed this about 5 yrs ago (including his notes below as well) from a sample provided. Normally I wouldn’t post a duplicate review – but his was done as a new release at the time, and this is done more as part 1 of a 3 part series.
What Gary Says
Nose: Sweet, dried fruit with vanilla, musty oak, subtle baking spices and milk chocolate. Palate: Creamy mouthfeel, sweet and fruity; canned pears, apricots with nutmeg and allspice. Finish: Moderately long with pears and hints of cracked pepper. Comments: Richard picked up this “Age of Discovery” box set while visiting the motherland, which included a 200 ml bottle of the Bourbon Cask Reserve, the Maderira Cask Finish, and the Red Wine Cask Finish. I thought it would be interesting to taste these three together to compare/contrast, as they are each 19yr Glenfiddich. This is the first of the three, and a very nice dram. On the sweet side of things but not cloyingly so, and nothing off putting. Would have liked a bit more spice to balance things out, but using this as my baseline for exploring the other two. While nice, this doesn’t hit me squarely enough to shell out the dough for a bottle. Rating: Stands Out
What Richard Says: Nose: Pears, the malty whiff of an IPA, and orange-mint chewing gum. Palate: A hint of sweet vanilla at first, then Christmas spices, old rough leather like a pair of old buckskin work gloves. Finish: Very mellow, wet toothpicks, mint notes, fading to old cigar. Comments: This is a very interesting dram. Personally, if I was going to spend $150 on a bottle of Glenfiddich it would be the 21 year old finished in rum casks. That’s not a knock on this bottle, it’s just not the best Glenfiddich has to offer at the price point. It’s still an interesting iteration and a nice glass of scotch. However, I think this would be more for the Glenfiddich devotee rather than the uninitiated.
Aberlour 17 yr Double-Cask Cask Strength 55.3% ABV Website What the Bottle Says Aberlour Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky Double Cask First Fill Sherry and Bourbon Cask 17 Years Old
Nose: Hints of cinnamon, baked apples and ginger intermingled with luscious dark chocolate and treacle toffee. Taste: Rich and tangy on the pallet at first, followed by a burst of sweet orange and apricot flavors with delicate dark chocolate notes. Finish: Long finish with a lingering spice.
What Gary Says Nose: Thick, rich sherry dark fruit – raisins, oranges, honey spent fireworks, burnt toast, subtle nuttiness. Palate: Rich sweet, creamy mouthfeel that then sharpens, dark fruit/plum jam with notes of oak; water brings the sweet more to raisins with a pepper spice. Finish: Moderate to long in length, sweet yet tart while drying. Comments: Another pickup by Richard while visiting (no mention of on their web-site, and no price). By comparison with the Aberlour 17yr CS, the sherry influence here is pretty apparent, but that smokey, spent matches, sulfur note is also still present, even when adding water (water tamped the heat a bit, but not the smokiness as much). If you like a really smokey whiskey, this might be the bees knees. I found it to be better balanced than the other though. Rating: Average/Stands Out
