I've recently had the pleasure of tasting and enjoying a selection of whiskies from Glenfiddich. I wanted to write about one of these in particular: a rare 26 year old malt which was quite unlike anything I'd tried before in terms of quality and flavour.
I've been a casual imbiber of malt whisky for many years, occasionally enjoying the complexity, variety and subtly of whisky's flavours from many distilleries, not all Scottish. Despite this, I've only written about whisky infrequently on this blog. However, the senses that enable a man to appreciate a finely made pair of shoes, a well-fitting suit or a beautifully designed car are the same as those that allow him to enjoy a fine wine, beer or whisky.
Malt whisky speaks to me of mist-covered hills, dew-soaked heather, lichen-daubed rocks and low tide on seaweed-strewn beaches: precisely the parts of our beautiful country that I love. It bears the stamp of the terrain and wood from which it springs. Glenfiddich 26 Year Old is matured in American white oak barrels. These are imported from the USA and, having held bourbon, they impart, over more than a quarter of a century, a complex oaky, tannin, vanilla flavour to the whisky tempered by Scottish Highland air and water.
I'm used to malts at the lower end of the price scale. These are usually delicious enough, but they didn't prepare me for the complexity of the pleasures I experienced with this malt. A pale golden colour, on first pouring this 26 year old releases a summery waft of grass, toffee and apple. To taste, it's smooth, almost chewy, on the tongue. A peppery, toffee, oaky, seaweed flavour is balanced by a floral fragrance given a bit of edge by a lemon/citrus aroma. These flavours just keep on developing, giving a finish that is quite sublime in its subtlety and complexity.
This is a malt that should be cherished and kept for those special occasions when you want an exceptional tasting experience, packed with memories and revived experiences. Highly recommended. See the Glenfiddich website for more information.
This is a malt that should be cherished and kept for those special occasions when you want an exceptional tasting experience, packed with memories and revived experiences. Highly recommended. See the Glenfiddich website for more information.
I was not paid for this blog post. I was provided with a sample of the whisky. The views expressed are entirely mine.
