Review by: The Muskox
Ahhhh, it’s nice to be back at the famous LCBO tasting bar – the cheapest place in town to start pre-drinking with good whisky before going a party. I started last night off with this latest entry in Glenfiddich’s Experimental series. I’ve had mixed opinions on the prior bottlings in this line – the IPA Cask and Fire & Cane impressed, but XX and Winter Storm fell somewhat short. Here, we have a cask finish in “Somerset Pomona Spirit” casks – this is a blend of apple cider brandy and apple juice, produced by the Somerset Cider Brandy Company in Somerset.
Distillery: Glenfiddich.
Bottler: Official bottling.
Region: Speyside.
ABV: 43%, cask strength.
Age: NAS. Bottled on 04/27/2022.
Cask type: Finished in Somerset Pomona Spirit Casks.
Price: $100 CAD
Color: Colour added, chill-filtered.
Nose: Sweet and friendly. Fresh apples of course, along with banana, light flowers, and a drizzle of honey. I think there’s some cinnamon too, but that might just be an association with the apples. There’s a sweetness here that I can only describe as Lucky Charms marshmallows. Some maltier notes start to come out after a few more minutes in the glass, giving the nose a bit more robustitude.
Palate: Medium-creamy texture, with no ethanol heat whatsoever. Arrives malty and creamy, with more marshmallows and some strawberry shortcake. Plush fruits in the middle – banana, apple, cereals, and creamy vanilla. The apple note gets a little bit more complex as the sips continue. It’s not really tart or tannic at all, but there’s a bit more depth.
Finish: Sweet and smooth, medium-length. More flowers, banana, and cereals. Lightly creamy. A slightly darker apple-cider note. Hints of ginger and strawberries.
Possible SMWS bottling name: “Clear and yellah, you got juice there, fella!”
Notes: Extremely ok. There are no flaws at all, really, but it’s very light and without all that much depth. I like the creamy texture and overall smoothness. It’s just missing some of… well, nearly all of, the bass notes. It got a bit richer as it developed in the glass, with those malty notes coming in. If you like your whisky delicate and easy-sipping, this is a knockout. It’s absolutely an improvement over Glenfiddich 12 and 15, but maybe not either of the 14s. For my taste, it’s a bit lacking.
Final Score: 76.
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.
Malt Runners 