The Scottish Speyside is insanely famous for their whiskies and is home to the greatest number of distilleries as of any other region in Scotland. Glenfiddich is no stranger to this region and is by far the most selling single malt whisky in the world. In Gaelic, the term means ‘Valley of the deer’ and hence the iconic picture of the stag! Glenfiddich was founded by William Grant alongside the valley (‘glen’) of the river Fiddich and was one of the few distilleries that not only survived the Prohibition in the US but also upped the production to meet the sudden rise in demand once it ended.

The 12 year old Glenfiddich is aged in both American oak and European sherry barrels for twelve years; post which they are then married together for another nine months in uniquely designed oak barrels. The green triangular shaped bottle is quite distinct, plush and well rounded. For some strange reason, I always seem to feel a certain joy while holding the bottle and the contours somehow embodies a very rich and modern characteristic finish.

Eyes: Golden and smooth.

Nose: Lots of sweet vanilla at first followed by malty, cereal notes. I could also pick up pepper, old spice, green apples, cardamon and subtle hints of smoke and peat, along with few floral tones playing in the background.

Taste: Rounded, light and refreshing, with the sweetness from the nosing echoing through. Oak, green apples and cherries were quite evident with the liquid slightly coating my mouth. The flavors aren’t very bold, neither are they too humble but certainly has a sort of richness to it.

Finish: Sweet and warm with a few notes from the sherry casks resonating through.

On adding a few drops of water, the oaky scents were more revealing while on the fruity front, pears, lemon and citrus zests were the stars. The sharpness was washed away leaving it more mellow and subtle.

All in all, the Glenfiddich is a real good whisky for those who wish to venture into the world of single malts. The light, sweet and flavorful dynamics will not only please the novice drinker but also bring nostalgic memories to the older more mature aficionados. This drink would certainly qualify as an ice breaker for those weekend get-togethers, but might not suit the occasion where one might want to sit back on the sofa and spend some quality time reminiscing on the week that passed.

Score : 81.