One Day You Will

It has almost been a month since Jamie took us on a tour through Glenfiddich's core range. One of the most well known distilleries in the world, Glenfiddich is a common brand of single malt scotch whisky. We discovered on March 8th that is a result of high quality whisky combined with the values held by the Grant family. The people behind this whisky make Glenfiddich what it is. The whiskies we had stand on their own without the intense marketing that comes with such a huge brand. That being said, the new commercials are pretty epic and awesome and I love them:

12 year old
Nose: pears, vanilla, toffee
Taste: candied apples
Overall: very drinkable, high standard house whisky

18 year old
Nose: mellowed pears, "amazing" green apples
Taste: hint of salt, buttery salted toffee
Overall: rounded off the flavors of the 12 year old. Obviously a more mature whisky and better for it.

15 year old, Solera Vat
Nose: honey, raisins, cinnamon apples
Taste: "Shandy!", spices (cloves cinnamon) rich alcoholic cream or milk
Overall: The society had tried this whisky previously at the finishes tasting, on this night it received a better reception in the middle of the Glenfiddich range.

Jamie surprised us with Glenfiddich new make

15 year old, Rich Oak
Nose: pineapple, mash tun, pencil shavings, ground up wood, cherries, toffee and caramel, "jigsaw puzzle with a 70's glam guitar", floor polish, marzipan, toasted hazelnuts
Taste: "Like whoa yo!", mulled wine, roller coaster of rich oak flavors
Overall: This whisky really surprised me on the night, the flavors it delivered were quite surprising.

15 year old, Distiller's Edition 51%
Nose: caramel, melon, biting and yet very fleeting taste. Hints of freshly ground pepper and vanilla.
Taste: Creamy, smooth notes of melon still coming through. Pear still present amazingly floral and seemingly delicate. A lingering finish that left you warm
Overall: This was many people's favorite whisky of the night. Its cask strength nature allowed it to develop a bit longer than many of the others.

Scott ponders the flavors of Glenfiddich

21 year old, Gran Reserva
Nose: intense and sweet, strong floral notes with hints of banana. Toffee, fudge, and figs all present as well.
Taste: Initially very soft and mellow, then almost on the verge of overwhelming with vibrant notes of vanilla, lime, ginger. The typical note of oak is still present as is the barest hint of smoke.
Overall: Wow. Just wow. An incredible balance of flavors are delivered because of the attention to detail during the maturation process for this incredible dram. The American oak casks deliver the Glenfiddich style while the Caribbean rum cask adds totally unusual flavors. Neither totally dominate, bringing a fully satisfying whisky experience.

Glenfiddich is the most awarded whisky in the world. After a night experiencing the dynamic flavors that they offer, I don't stop to wonder why.

Look at the smiles on our faces!

Whisky from Semester 1

In case anyone is curious and needs a jolt to the memory, here is a quick list of the whiskies we enjoyed during the first semester:

Freshers Week Tasting:

Famous Grouse

Glenkinchie 12yo

Balvenie Doublewood 12yo

Laphroiag 10yo

Regions Tasting:

Auchentoshan 12yo

Aberfeldy 12yo

Arran 14yo

Macallen Directors

Springbank Cask Strength

Laphroiag Quarter Cask

Finishes Tasting:
Grant's Ale Cask

Macnamara Rum Finish

Glenfiddich 15yo

Glencadam Port Finish

Glen Moray Chardonnay Finish

Wemyss Tasting:
Smooth Gentleman 8yo

Spice King 8yo

Peat Chimney 8yo

Honey Harvest Single Cask 13yo

The Orange Tree 21yo

Well Mannered Mint 12yo

Smoke and Cheese Tasting:
Ardmore Cask Strength with Keen's Cheddar (newer)

Smokehead with Cropwell Bishop

Laphroaig Triple Wood with Comte

Jura Prophecy with Keen's Cheddar (older)

Ardbeg 10yo with Dunsyre Blue

Rum Tasting (small tasting):

Rum cocktail

El Dorado 12yo
Dictador 12yo

Rum Sixty Six 12yo

Pusser's 15yo "Nelsons Blood"

"Thanks for giving us bourbon casks" Tasting:

Woodford Reserve

Auchentoshan Select

Balblair 1995

Bowmore Surf

Jack Daniels Single Barrel Silver Select

WOLS Awards:

Compass Box Great King Street (best blend)

Nikka All Malt (best international)

Hazelburn 8yo Sauternes Wood (best under 10 years old)

Aberlour A'Bunadh Batch 37 (bang for your buck award)

Glendronach 1995 Single Cask PX (best sherried)

Bunnahabhain 1997 Heavily Peated Signatory (best peated)

People's choice awards:

Best Whisky Pub: The Bow Bar
Best Whisky Shop: Royal Mile Whiskies
Best WOLS tasting of Fall 2011: Smoke and Cheese
Best dram from a tasting: Springbank 12 CS
Best personal dram: Talisker 18
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Tour of trip: Oban
Dram of trip: Caol Ila 1996 GM