Category: Scotch
Country: Scotland
Region: Speyside
ABV: 40% (but should be at 43% or above)
Price range: 750ml $46.95 CDN
Nose: Fresh, cheery, bright, fruits particularly apples and unripened pears. Vanilla, but not sweet vanilla - there is very little sweet here. Rather a straight forward presentation. Don’t bother looking for more complexity because you just won’t find.
Taste: Youthful barely sugar caramels and vanillas from the American oak maturation strike first. Gentle but persistent spirit heat coats the tongue, quite pleasant actually. You are left with a candy coated apple after taste and the hinting suggestion of some smoke in there somewhere but its hard to pin down.
Finish: The finish is all on the tongue and roof of the mouth. Not much happening on the rest of the trip. It lasts long enough not to disappoint, but that’s about it.
Would I buy it again: Sure, its under $50 and often on sale - can’t go wrong.
Would I recommend it to a friend: Yes, but only as a beginner for a whisky first timer or to drink... let’s call it “with enthusiasm”.
Worthy as a daily dram: Yes, simply because its the de-facto standard “starter malt”. It should be somewhere in your rotation.
Collection worthy: Not this one, maybe the 15, 18 or 25.
Comments: A lot of us have moved past this malt and its likely become invisible on the retail shelf, I get that. That doesn’t mean it doesn’t still deserve our respect. This malt started it all for most of the people reading this. Its a relatively simple malt but it does deliver on what it tries to be, uncomplicated and a good place to start. If you aren’t in the mood for something with peat or sherry and you just want something pleasing with some warmth to quaff, this is your answer. I encourage you to revisit the Glenfiddich 12 year if you haven’t for a while. I bet you’ll be surprised how much you like it.
Let's see what Ralfy has to say:
This was my starter malt as well. Their Grants Family Reserve is my home blend, and is always reliable.
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