Glenfiddich 12 Year Old Single Malt
Glenfiddich is one of the biggest players in the Single Malt Scotch game: 30% of all single malt sales are Glenfiddich products. Founded in 1876, Glenfiddich is defined by two things: their iconic triangular bottle and the honey and apple base profile. Glenfiddich translates from Gaelic as “Valley of the Deer”, with the profiled stag representing the brand.
For people interested in trying unpeated Scotches or getting into Scotch for the first time, this is the first bottle I would recommend. It’s ubiquitous, not expensive, and perfectly represents the Speyside/Highland profile.
Geographical note: Speyside - literally, along the sides of the River Spey - is a sub-section of the Scottish Highlands at the north end of the mainland. Some sources will categorize Speyside whiskies as Highland and vice-versa. The usual differentiator is that Speyside whiskies are known for a fruitier profile than the broader Highland area, but to be honest the division isn’t strict enough to matter that much.
Glenfiddich 12 Year Old: Specs
Classification: Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Origin: Glenfiddich Distillery, Speyside
Mashbill: 100% Malted Barley
Proof: 80 (40% ABV)
Age: 12 Years Old, Matured in Oloroso Sherry and Ex-Bourbon Casks
Location: Unknown
Glenfiddich 12 Price: $43 (MSRP)
Glenfiddich 12 Year Old Review: Tasting Notes
Eye: Light honey, medium rim holds wide but quick legs.
Nose: Smoked apples and honey. Heavy malt on the nose, very little if any burn. Quintessential Speyside/Highland nose.
Palate: Malty and grainy in a good way - alcoholic Honey Nut Cheerios. Cinnamon comes in just a bit from the bourbon casks. Dark fruits on the back palate from the sherry slowly inch forward and meet the cinnamon. Mouthfeel is medium, not coating, but reaches the corners of my mouth.
Finish: Short-to-medium, leaves cinnamon and a little dark fruit in its wake.
Overall: Like I say on the nose, quintessential Speyside/Highland whisky. Notes from both used casks meld sweetly at a low proof, making this an easy sipper and a great introduction to the world of unpeated Scotch.
Final Rating: 6.2
10 | Insurpassable | Nothing Else Comes Close (Blanton’s Straight from the Barrel)
9 | Incredible | Extraordinary (GTS, Elijah Craig Barrel Proof B518 and B520)
8 | Excellent | Exceptional (12+YO MGP Bourbon, Highland Park Single Barrels)
7 | Great | Well above average (Blanton’s Original, Old Weller Antique, Booker’s)
6 | Very Good | Better than average (Four Roses Small Batch Select, Knob Creek 14+ YO Picks)
5 | Good | Good, solid, ordinary (Elijah Craig Small Batch, Buffalo Trace, Old Grand-Dad Bottled-in-Bond)
4 | Sub-par | Many things I’d rather have (A.D. Laws Four Grain, Compass Box “Oak Cross”)
3 | Bad | Flawed (Iron Smoke Bourbon, Balcones)
2 | Poor | Forced myself to drink it (Buckshee Bourbon and Rye)
1 | Disgusting | Drain pour (Virginia Distilling Co. Cider Cask)
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