Glenfiddich 23 Year Old Grand Cru

As far as I am concerned, this Glenfiddich Grand Cru could have been launched as the 5 release in the so-called Experimental Series, for after the regular bourbon and sherry maturation, this whisky was finished for an additional 4 months on first fill and second fill wine casks that were used for the fermentation of wine that would eventually become champagne. But no, this Grand Cru is released in a new ‘Grand’ series, which will see a second and third expression in 2020. I scored a sample of this at the famous Belgian whisky festival Spirits in the Sky in Brussels.

The nose is surprisingly creamy with notes of brioche and pear sorbet, joined by some young apples and freshly baked buns. A truckload of vanilla makes it very sweet, while a floral note gives it some depth. The nose seems innocent and not very outspoken at first, but if you take your time, you’ll discover some lovely aromas.

It is quite oily and completely devoid of spices on the palate. This is as soft as a baby’s backside. Creamy and sweet on more brioch and vanilla, now with some lemon juice and whisked egg white. Wait a minute… this suddenly becomes very good indeed… reminding me of sabayon, the wonderful champagne dessert. Well done!

The finish is not very long, honey-sweet and for some reason that I cannot quite pinpoint exudes luxury.

If you take your time, this is a very nice expression indeed. 250 EUR is not cheap by any means, but it is very good. And you get a lovely box to boot (add sarcasm).

Find where to buy Glenfiddich whisky