Glenfiddich Special Old Reserve

Distillers has no listing for what I have but the label is the only one that comes close. Mine says Special Reserve not Old . This was a gift from my dear, departed brother many a Christmas ago. I believe circa 2003-2005, but perhaps as long ago as the late 90's. At the time I was not a Scotch drinker nor even much of a whisky drinker, except for an annual Christmas punch made with Jack Daniels by my dear departed Mother. I made a habit of having a small amount of this Scotch almost each year, usually mid-year for some unknown reason, so the bottle is still with me and has a number of fingers left in it as well. A 12 year at the time, it's now over 25 years old, if not a good deal more. I still enjoy the taste but having recently moved into the world of fine whisky, with or without an 'E', I can't say anything special about it other than it has little to no peat and goes down very smooth. Still a pleasant dram with a lingering sweetness to it in the finish. This bottle label has the silver thistles and 'Product of Scotland' going down into the top of the bottom gold banner and overlaying it, rather than solely up in the Black area. If anyone has any info on when this label was changed, either to this or from this, I would appreciate a comment here. Many thanks.

This Whisky is what i expect from a new dram: something diferent. It actually smells like Champagne and it tastes as Champagne, and if it werent for the slight peatyness i would say: "this is champagne". First of all i think this one is hard to find, i found it on a friend's tray as an ornament in her bar, i was shock by founding something like this and let her know i wanted to taste it. She gave me her full 5cl mini bottle and i surely enjoyed it. On the nose... well it is champagne. The first note you got is champagne, grapes and a fading peatyness which is present in a nice way. Bottled at 43%abv it has a pale straw color. if you let it sit for a while (i did) you will then find maltyness, oak, brown grass, almonds and tobacco. The aroma is complex and beautiful. On the palate is very very spicy in a pleasant way, mouth watering, feels also a lot as champagne so you can tell it is fruity, grapes everywhere, earthy (like some wines) with hints of peat with medicinal plants as eucaliptus maybe. it is medium bodied and the finish is also medium with lots of spices, oakyness and a little hot. Overall it is a beautiful dram, i took the empty 5cl bottle home to show my friends this mini trophy, it is worth it. great dram.

Dug this old boy out of my long-deceased grandpa’s liquor cabinet. Apparently it’s from the 80s. It’s fairly plain, as have been the other younger Glenfiddichs I’ve had. Malt, butter, ethanol. Kinda cool to drink history though.

Nosing: vanilla and honey, with pints of citric fruits and apple. Palate: strong pepper spice and vanilla sweet, with a tiny bit of citric fruit Finishing: light spice and a weak scent of vanilla. Rather short

Light bodied, waxy honeyed flavour, reminiscent of standard Balvenie, short finish, light grainy flavour, nothing special. Great bottle and label though!

Nose is sweet. Light vanilla some malt Pepper on the tongue. Light flavour of honey or citrus? Pepper lingers on tongue for a while. Not burny