I know it's not an integrity malt, but I hold the Glenfiddich 15 in higher esteem than many of it's 'non-whisky botherer' peers. This was the dram I choose to sit back and enjoy at the distillery when I visited. A solid poker night dram or any other time that doesn't lend itself to a more complex dram.
Wade! I was just gifted a bottle of this and was going to do the exact same thing for a video! Great minds my man. You are far more eloquent than I would have been, for sure 😂 Chase that 2k my dude!!
My first single malt was the Glenfiddich 12 when I didn't even know what's a single malt. The 15 was my second. I totally agree with what you said. Glenfiddich is a good pour if you manage your expectations and just enjoy it for what it is. Fairly priced too imo. Very accessible and consistent.
Agree with pretty much everything you said, but I do like this one. It does get better with a little time down the bottle. But it's missing anything resembling a wow factor. As someone who oftens likes his whisky to throw a few elbows, sometimes it's nice to sit with a solid, well-crafted whisky that just tastes good, even if it could be better.
Watching this with a dram of the Glenfiddich 15yo Distillery Edition (51% abv) 😋 If the normal bottling is a bit too thin for you with its 40% abv, maybe you have the opportunity to try the DE?!
I went right into peated scotch and avoided Glenfiddich for a long time. For me this is too weak and I just get little from it. I love a deep complexity in scotch and for me this isn't complex at all. It's not much better than the Glenfiddich 12. For the price - $115 Canadian - I can get a much better scotch and with peat or a terrific Speyside! I can get Craigellachie 13 which is by and far so superior to this whisky! Great video Wade!! All opinions are interesting!! Cheers!! 🙂
Nice breakdown of what this whisky provides. For me, it's Glenlivet rather than Glenfiddich I look to for this type of back to basics experience (the 15 years aren't really ideal comparisons given the difference in the casks), but I prefer the Glenlivet spirit, and it gives that same feeling you describe in this video of being held back from its potential in these poorly presented releases. Cheers!
100% brother, this series is "My First Time" and you can't do that half way through a bottle 😉 Still think it's worth showcasing first impressions, because we all go through them with every single new bottle.
Yes agree I buy majority of my whiskeys non chilled and natural colour. Can you do a video with WOLFBURN single malt scotch whisky. Enjoying your videos keep up the good work and looking forward to many more videos from you. Cheers.
Hi Wade, for the price here in Germany (around €45) it’s actually not bad, I actually like it. If the 15 yr distiller’s edition (at 51%) is not discontinued then that is definitely worth trying. Good honest review Wade, slàinte 🥃
Thanks David, I have been eyeing off the Distiller's Edition for a little while, perhaps this is the push I need to go and find out what it's got to offer 🥃
It’s on sale at uncle Dans ATM for $118 buckaroos!!!!! I paid $130 2 years ago I enjoyed it!!!! It’s dropped in price recently!!! I find it great drop!!! 🥃👍🏻 I’m yet to try my 18 I bought
The Glenfiddich 15 distillery edition is worth a look if you can find it! Its bit of a cross between the 12 and the 15 but bottled at cask/batch strength!
I have some much older expressions of Glenfiddich that are higher abv, non-chill and natural colour in my collection (from way back in the day...and sherried before it was a thing). They were awesome expressions and really started me on my whisky journey. It's too bad that they have changed course to appeal the the casual drinker who wants a gigantic cube of ice in their tumbler and fear flavor. I think they still do offer some 15 year old distillery editions from time to time that are NCF and bottled at 51 + % abv. but I can't comment on the cask quality...who knows.
Tbh, I've had only the mini bottle so far, with the old label. So not sure what will I think about the new one, or after having a full bottle but I did love it a lot. Found lovely notes of honey mixed with almonds. Also I do enjoy Glenfiddich 12 a lot, and I don't think I'm quite beginner, since I find myself enjoying also Springbank, Bunnahabhain or GlenAllachie. So, honestly, I think we need to get rid of that cliché of "beginner's whisky" :)
Fair point my friend, not saying anyone who enjoys this whisky is a beginner, but this is absolutely a beginners whisky compared to the others you mentioned. It's important to provide beginners reference points to help them on their journey, which is my intent 😊 Cheers 🥃
Steve and I picked up a bottle of this for $70 at a bws clearance, if this was non chill filtered I reckon it would have hit the mark for a really good 40% whisky
You don't have to be a beginner to drink a beginner's whisky! As someone who has been drinking whisky longer than I have been alive I have no place telling you anything about whisky Andrew 😂 Thank you for watching my friend 🥃
In just my second year of whisky appreciation I bought the Glenfiddich 15 YO. And loved it. Then I quickly moved on to meatier drams. 7 years later, I appreciate that most single malts consumed are of this ilk. We whisky geeks are in the vast minority.
The only time I buy GF is to add to basic cheaper blends a elevate malt content, then a percentge of cask strength to bring everything up to 46.3% to 47.7% . Slainte !
At $115 it is, based on what they normal ask for it, but you can get much better whiskies around that price or lower (Arran 10, Benromach 10, Bunnahabhain 12, GlenAllachie 12, Deanston 12, Speyburn 15) and excellent whiskies for $150 range that are light years better than this too (GlenDronach 15, Tamdhu 15, GlenAllachie 15, Redbreast 15, Oban 14, Glenfarclas 15)
The tragedy is, this version is absolutely awful when compared to its older bottlings. I would urge you to try and buy an older bottling (round tube) and compare. Mind you, the same can be said for the vast majority of whisky today. Lagavulin 16 is my number one example of deteriorating quality.
