A recent bottling from Glenfiddich here, the Malt Masters Sherry Edition, made to celebrate Brian Kinsmans career. Aged 6-8 years in American oak then another 4-6 years in European.

Oranges, hazelnuts, red apples, gentle sweet barley, damp oak, spiced plum chutney,

Really needs water, about 2:1 whisky:water seems to be a nice balance for me.

Delicate, sweet and fruity, multi-layered and subtle. Maybe a touch too subtle…?

3/5. Good whisky, nearly great whisky.

Posted with WordPress for BlackBerry.

[Category speyside, glenfiddich]

What a beautiful evening it is, 10pm and 17 degrees still. I’m just back from the gym (8k on the rower if you care) and really need a calming, relaxing dram to soothe my aches…

This is the 15yo Glenfiddich Solera at cask-strength, straight from the Solera vat.

I reviewed the 40% bottle here:

http://dramperday.com/2011/03/29/290311-2/

and have been meaning to get my paws on a cask-strength bottle ever since.

The nose is stunning with green oak, fruit, cereal, toast, a whiff of smoke. The old palm trick reveals pine sap, strong oak and vanilla.

The palate builds on this in the same way as the 40% bottling with sweet sticky honey, spices and serious oak. Very full bodied, real character. Some dark and rich sweet fruit, some sour refreshing fruit. Some smoke.

The finish is long and robust with some lighter fruit, surprisingly, and (less surprisingly) that oak again.

I love it.

Tasting it alongside the 40% expression, this is more full-bodied, the higher alcohol is obviously noticeable but there’s more to it than that – it’s richer, more intense but at the same time more sophisticated and balances more juxtaposed flavours.

Outstanding.

5/5.