Glenfiddich 12 Year Old

Once again, I travel down the road of revisiting some of the whiskies that first spoke to me so many years ago. As we develop as whisky connoisseurs, it's easy to forget some of the pleasures of those entry-level whiskies that got us into this mess in the first place. It's hard to believe I've never reviewed this one before (or, at least, I don't think I have!) - the best selling single malt in the world.

Not only is it the best selling, but it was the first to really make a dent in the sales of what was, in the 1960s, almost solely blends. They aggressively marketed their single malt, something no other distillery had really done before, and were the first to open a visitor centre. That they have never been acquired by a giant like Diageo is pretty amazing. They were William Grant & Sons first distillery, and they remain there to this day.

The 12 Year Old is so ubiquitous as to be invisible. When we saddle up to the whisky bar, our eyes quickly pass over it. But it's importance as a fixture on the whisky landscape cannot be overstated. It is matured in a combination of bourbon and Oloroso sherry casks.

The colour is bright gold. On the nose, crisp, clean malt, with pears, freshly cut pine, and a hint of dark chocolate. Freshly cut grass, with some raspberries in the background. Light, fruity and malty. With water, a bit more malt comes through, but this is so light (and at 40%) that you really don't need any.

On the palate the vanilla comes out, with some caramel as well. Many of the same notes as the nose - this is not a complex malt. Some light honey with green apples. A bit more spice with some water. Very easy to drink.

The finish is a little dry, with herbs (mint, sage) and spices (sweet paprika, nutmeg) coming to the fore. It is richer than, say, the Glenlivet 12 Year Old but pretty much remains in the same category: easy to drink, nothing wrong with it, nice and safe and a good way of introducing someone to single malts.

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