COLOUR
GOLDEN WITH A RED HUE
NOSE
An intriguingly complex aroma. Sweet heather honey and vanilla fudge combined with rich dark fruits.
PALATE
Silky smooth, revealing layers of sherry oak, marzipan, cinnamon and ginger. Full-bodied and bursting with flavour.
FINISH
Satisfyingly rich with lingering sweetness
Our Review
Continuing our suggestions for whiskies that would make a great gift for Christmas, we have a review of Glenfiddich 15 Year Old Single Malt Whisky.
Glenfiddich, particularly both the 12 and the 15 represent consistently great whiskies for a great price. Presented at 40% ABV, chill filtered and natural colour, the 15 year old doesn't necessarily have the attributes that whisky enthusiasts look for, however, as mentioned the Glenfiddich aged range fulfill the expectations of the drinker consistently.
With an average retail price of £43.12, the 15 can however, be found with decent discounts since it is carried by almost all the big supermarkets and around the christmas time, the marketing is geared squarely at the gift and celebratory markets, for good reason. It achives an average value score of 84.11 out of 100. The value score may seem low, but this is based on the average price online for the biggest drinks specialists, the average supermarked price is usually upto 25% cheaper. And then there is the drink experience.
On the nose you get sherry and sherry spices, there are the classic apple and pear notes that you will experience in the 12 year old. The nose is brilliantly sweet and fruity and invites you to have a taste.
On the palate, not quite as sweet as the 12, the spices are more dominant with the 15 with more oak and bitterness. After a little time the fruit starts to show, apple and pear, but then the sherry influence of fruitcake with sultana and raisin and maybe date make an appearance. There are also some hints of sawdust. A notable downside to this dram is its a little too watery in texture, it could do with having a higher ABV to give it a more velvety and luxurious feel. We wouldn't add any water to this dram.
This is a very enjoyable non offensive dram, there are no harsh notes, no peat or smoke, there are no dominant flavours or off putting notes. Just a classically decent dram. Yes it would be great at a higher ABV, but that would push the price up and it would start competing for a different market space. For the price and what it offers, why change the formula.
For an overall score we give it 87 out of 100.