I saw this on the shelf, at my local liquor store, and thought it was time to revisit it. Fifteen years ago, I was a big fan of this single malt. It was a nuanced honey, barley, golden cereal type of flavor profile that exhibited impressive complexity. It was totally in my wheelhouse: a classic Speysider on the lighter honey based flavor map. Back then, Glenfiddich 15 Solera had a place on my shelf alongside other malts with similar flavor profiles like Cragganmore 12 and Glenmorangie 12 Nectar d'Or.
So, while the security cameras watched my every move in the liquor store, as I hefted the bottle in its tube, I decided to pull the trigger, and approached the cashier. $99! Times have changed. Used to be much cheaper. But, I thought this is a fifteen year old single malt and given that age statement, $99 in Canada is fair. My friends south of the Canadian border are probably getting it for $70 or so. Still fair I think at first glance.
So, I get this bottle home, sit out on the back deck, pull the cork, pour a dram and just let it sit for about 10 minutes or so. Let it breathe. I do this because sometimes the first dram poured too soon tastes a little tight or hot with some single malts. Highland Park 18 comes to mind. Best to open the bottle, have a dram after twenty minutes, and it will taste even more mellow a week from then because of oxidation.
Solera?
While my dram breathes, I think about 'solera' on the label, and what it really means. 'Solera' is a method of aging port and sherry that originated in Portugal and Spain.
Imagine rows of barrels or casks, stacked five or so levels high, all connected by pipes, and sherry drained from the ground level casks is the oldest, and the empty space in the cask is replaced with sherry from the cask of the row above. Meanwhile, as the oldest sherry is bottled by draining the floor level barrels, more young sherry, is poured into top row barrels. This is the purported Solera system, but from what I have read, the term is used very loosely meaning the actual aging and blending of spirit may not be adhering to Spanish tradition outlined above.
The solera technique also is purportedly used by some rum producers. However, I read one rum expert write he had never seen a Solera system employed at any distillery as described above. So, who knows what the truth is? Anyhow, you and I now have some understanding of what Glenfiddich wants you to believe. I suspect the use of the Solera term is more marketing than fact.
Category
Single Malt
Region
Speyside
Age Statement
15 years
ABV
40%
Artificial Color
Yes.
Chill Filtration
Yes.
Availability
Widely distributed.
Price?
For a 15 year old single malt, the price was reasonable. Most single malts of this age statement are priced 40% or so higher.
Wood Management
Ex-sherry casks, European oak, New American Oak.
Nose (undiluted)
Honey, dandelions. Pleasant. Speaks of quality. Light aromas.
Palate (undiluted)
Apple juice, honey, apricots, white grapes, a hint of raspberry.
Finish (undiluted)
Short. Tastes young on the finish of flabby white grapes. Hint of bitterness. Is that ginger? For a 15 year old single malt there should be some length of flavors. Faint, stale note of New York City, yellow taxi cab, cigarette smoke hanging in the backseat.
General Impressions
This may say a 15 year old single malt, but the ingredient whiskies are tasting much younger. Notes of pearl onions . . . ahh not in a good way.
Really disappointing.
15 years ago or so, I really liked this malt, but not now. Somehow, it tastes young. Maybe the ingredient whiskies are much closer to 15 years age statement and years ago it was composed of more older whiskies closer to 18 years? Can't say for sure, but does taste that way.
In a peer review, this used to be on par with Cragganmore 12, but not anymore as Cragganmore continues to outshine this malt. As for Glenmorangie Nectar d'Or, the age statement has been sadly dropped and it too is now a disappointment.
Glenfiddich 15 year old 'Distillery Edition' is the result of a master blender's decision to combine ex-bourbon casks with ex-Oloroso sherry casks, which have been aged for a minimum of 15 years, and bottled at the sky high ABV of 51%. No open flames near this bottle please. Actually, you would expect that one could spontaneously combust given such a high level ABV, but this malt is surprisingly drinkable. I wouldn't call it "smooth," but rather very vibrant and a wee little astringent at times. But, more about that later.
This bottling I believe was first released around 2010 into the Duty Free shop network and also sold at the distillery. Two years later, distribution expanded to conventional brick and mortar liquor stores. It finally made its way to my humble spirits emporium.
Nose (undiluted)
Strong notes of grapefruit, exotic citrus, pineapple and wood.
Palate (undiluted)
Powerful, bursting with blackberry flavor, deep caramel, spiced orange peel, black pepper.
Finish (undiluted)
Black pepper, malt, salt and oak.
At 51% ABV I really think the addition of water is a must. How much is open to your personal tastes, but my suggestion is have a single pour, and add 1/4 of a teaspoon of water.
The water really opens this whisky up. The flavors of sherry become much more textured, velvety, 3-D if you will. Here is my tasting note with a little water added:
Nose (diluted)
Water brings out much more friendly scents of sherry and vanilla. Peat and sea air become present.
Palate (diluted)
Velvety and interestingly textured sherry flavors emerge. The American oak bourbon casks contribute a creamy oak note, which is a nice counterpoint to the sherry.
Finish (diluted)
Drying across the palate with dark red fruits like strawberry and black grapes, malt, salt and wee black pepper. Some smoke emerges now that was hidden when consumed neat.
General Impressions
Glenfiddich 15 year old 'Distillery Edition' is a perplexing malt. You can see my enthusiasm with this malt in the above video, but I must say that it took me a while to figure out how to best enjoy this spirit. Unlike some Scotch whiskies that are mind blowing from the get-go, this particular malt let's you know from the start it is good, but you might not think it is incredible or going to make your top ten favorites list. Why? Because it is hard to judge how much water to add such that you unlock the complexity. Too much agua and you could risk over-dilution and end up with a taste akin to strawberry sorbet. So, the challenge for you is find the proper amount of water that brings the sherry notes to their zenith. I know because you are reading this post that you are up to that challenge.
Target Audience
I would not recommend buying this single malt as a gift for the newbie or casual single malt consumer because of the 51% ABV. Buy this for a friend who may think that Glenfiddich is just the 12 year old release and therefore can't be any good. Prove them wrong.
Distillery Edition vs. Solera
Some people may also wonder how this single malt stacks up against the 15 year old Solera release by Glenfiddich. My answer would be that these are two very different single malts. The Solera is pears that are drizzled with wild honey, vanilla, and white chocolate. Light as a rainbow and almost as elusive. Meanwhile the 'Distillery Edition' is very robust and a sherry biased malt. If you like GlenDronach 12 years or 15 years, you will certainly enjoy this punchy malt. Fans of Glenfarclas will also enjoy the 'Distillery Edition.' Are you a Macallan 12 fan who places all your praise on the smoothness of that sherried tour-de-force single malt? If so, you may not be as excited about the 'Distillery Edition.' You might find the DE too coarse.
If you like Glenkinchie 12, Linkwood, Cragganmore, Auchentoshan and other lighter bodied, honeyed and delicate tasting whiskies, then the Solera will be your preference over the Distillery Edition.
Until next time, I remain your faithful friend in whisky.
