Review by: The Muskox

Here’s the fourth entry in Glenfiddich’s Experimental series, and a rare opportunity to try peated Glenfiddich! This was enjoyed as part of a tasting of all 4 experimental Glenfiddichs, led by the Canadian brand ambassador.

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Distillery: Glenfiddich.

Bottler: Official bottling.

Region: Speyside.

ABV: 43%.

Age: No age statement.

Cask type: Finished for about 6 months in Latin rum casks.

Price: $80 CAD.

Color: e150. Chill-filtered.

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Nose: Hey, it’s peaty! And a really rich, sweet peat at that. Very barbeque-y, with lots of caramelized smoked meat and sweet barbeque sauce. A touch of creosote, and some smoked paprika. Sorta reminiscent of that dark chocolate with chili in it. Underneath is some banana, caramel, and brown sugar. Eventually a hint of a band-aid note came out of the smoke.

Palate: Light but syrupy texture. Brown sugar and cooked apples up front. Dark toffee and some cinnamon. There’s dark sweetness, but not anything like Balvenie’s Caribbean Cask. The peat starts to dominate in the development. And this isn’t wimpy Speyside peat either: it’s fairly intense. Some oak here, and more of that smoked meat and cinnamon.

Finish: Long and rounded. More of that caramelized meat, barbeque smoke, and paprika. Brown sugar and rounded fruit.

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Conclusion: I really like this. It hits the right balance for me, with enjoyable intensity and easy-to-drink sweetness. It didn’t come across as too young, which I really appreciated. I feel the rum casks have done juuuust enough to augment the peat. I’ll be buying a bottle when it comes out.

Final Score: 84.

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Scoring Legend:

• 95-100: As good as it gets. Jaw-dropping, eye-widening, unforgettable whisky.
• 90-94: Sublime, a personal favorite in its category.
• 85-89: Excellent, a standout dram.
• 80-84: Quite good. Quality stuff.
• 75-79: Decent whisky worth tasting.
• 70-74: Meh. It’s definitely drinkable, but it can do better.
• 60-69: Not so good. I might not turn down a glass if I needed a drink.
• 50-59: Save it for mixing.
• 0-49: Blech.