Glenfiddich Pure Malt Special Reserve

This mini came to me with a group of other minis I purchased through Scotch Whisky Auctions. Pam had a full sized bottle of this many years ago, and I didn't like it much. My friend Igor Kossov had a very old mini version of this (with an "Over 8 Years Old" statement on it) which I also didn't think much of. This mini doesn't seem that old, but of course Glenfiddich doesn't make this NAS edition anymore (though, like everyone else, they are releasing more NAS bottlings). Also, I'm pretty sure it's a blend, not a vatted malt.

The colour is a light, pale straw. Also light on the nose with canned pears, heather, fresh cut grass and the faintest hint of peat. Green apple skins. Malty. A drop of water adds some herbal notes (mint, sage). Clearly very young, but fresh and inviting. A good breakfast dram (it's 11:30am right now as I write this!)

On the palate there is more pear (less apple) with lemon curd and crisp cereal notes. Underripe banana. Barley sugar. Water gives it a bit of a kick (as if the ABV increased) and brings out the peat. Light, fresh and summery.

The finish is short with lemon pith, digestif biscuits and grassy notes. This is quite nice, better than the other "Pure Malts" I've had from Glenfiddich that I noted above. I have the last dregs of a 'Fiddich 12, let's see how they compare: the 12 is darker in colour, and oakier on the nose and palate - but I actually prefer the Pure Malt's bright complexity rather than the 12, which is simpler and without that bright, refreshing quality. It's clear that some peated malt was used in the Pure Malt, whereas I don't think any was used in the 12. As so often happens, the older bottlings are superior to the newer.....sigh....

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