Glenfiddich Malt Master's Edition Sherry Cask Finish
Dazzling Denouement
0 690
Review by @WhiskyBee
- Nose~
- Taste~
- Finish~
- Balance~
- Overall90
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- Brand: Glenfiddich
- Type: Scotch
- Region: Speyside
- ABV: 43%
From the press releases, we learn that this expression was crafted by Glenfiddich's Malt Master Brian Kinsman, in celebration of the distillery's 125th anniversary. Aged 6 - 8 years in bourbon casks, then 4 - 6 years in sherry casks, this whisky has a (semi-) limited release of 18,000 bottles, and a reasonable price of about $80 US.
Nose: Malt, wood smoke, vanilla, nuts, berries, pepper, and a fair amount of sherry influence. Layered, complex, but very subdued. There's a great deal going on, but it's all being told in whispers. Becomes wonderfully rich and full-bodied as it opens up. Let it sit.
Arrival/Development: Seems a bit disappointing at first (but just wait). More one-dimensional than the nose would suggest, with malt and roasted brown sugar dominating. The sherry has virtually disappeared. Nice, but not particularly interesting, frankly.
Finish: Here's where the Malt Master's Edition makes up for its shortcomings and then some. Ranks among the best finish experiences I've ever had with any whisky. Buttery, smoky, fruity (cherries, bananas, and bitter apple), with healthy layers of vanilla, malt, and caramel. Warm, smooth, ultra-rich, and it lasts forever with additional layers revealing themselves a full two or three minutes after swallowing.
To sum up in a sentence: nice on the nose, mediocre in the mouth, greatness down the gullet. I usually don't award marks so high when a whisky offers only one outstanding tasting-experience component, but I'll make an exception when that component is so spectacular that it deserves to be experienced by all malt lovers.
Find where to buy Glenfiddich whisky
I held this bottle in my hand yesterday. Could have bought it for ¥5000 ($60). Guess I have to run back tomorrow and hope it's still there.