Whisky Review: Glenfiddich Special Reserve 12 Year (2002)

Glenfiddich is, well, Glenfiddich. The best selling single malt in Scotland pumps out volume like almost no one else, though Glenlivet is certainly trying to give them a run for their money.

This version of their 12 Year was bottled in 2002, back when practically no one cared about single malt and the current boom was practically unimaginable. Then as now it was bottled at 40%, almost certainly with coloring and chill filtration.

Thanks to Michael Kravitz for the sample.

Glenfiddich Special Reserve 12 Year

Nose: ranges from almost non-existent to moderate weight - light honied malt, slightly dank sherry, a little fruit (apples, pears, oranges), a touch of something floral/soapy - that are all difficult to pull out. After adding a few drops of water it opens up with more floral notes and more sherry.

Taste: moderate malt sweetness with a bit of sherried roundness, a little sour in the middle, floral overtones throughout, more grain than oak bitterness at the back, and a feeling of tired casks throughout. After dilution the sweetness becomes more cane sugar, the malt becomes drier, some fruit (apples, pears) comes out, and the floral notes are amplified.

Finish: sherry residue, light malt, a touch of oak-y bitterness

For all the depth of stock Glenfiddich was presumably sitting on in 2002, there doesn't appear to be any older, more complex whisky in here. Honestly, it's pretty remarkable how similar this is to their current bottles, which, if you want to look at it that way, speaks highly of their master blender's abilities. So while this was interesting as a curiosity, it is mostly forgettable.