Woodford Reserve loves experimenting with the different aspects of making whiskey. These experiments usually culminate in a yearly Master’s Collection released every fall. Some releases are just okay, while some are simply outstanding. With the newly unveiled Distillery Series, Woodford Reserve wants to release more of their experiments. As the name implies, this series is a distillery purchase only, at least for now. Different expressions will be released several times a year in 375ml bottles with a $49.99 tag. The first two releases are Double Double Oaked and Sweet Mash Redux. According to the press release, here’s how the distillery explains the inaugural releases:
Glenfiddich 15-Year-Old Single Malt Scotch Review
Photo courtesy William Grant & Sons.
Moving right along to our next Glenfiddich tasting – their 15-year-old expression. This one is a bit different than the 12-year-old in that it is solera aged. The distillery has a large wooden vat made from oak. It’s filled with matured whiskies of different ages, the youngest of which is 15 years old. Filled in 1998, the vat is emptied (for bottling) to the halfway mark, and is filled with more whisky. Because the vat is always at least half full, over time some interesting flavors may develop between the older whisky and the newly added whisky. The oldest whiskies in the vat date back to 1983. Solera aging is nothing new. It’s been used to age wine and spirits for years. Glenfiddich 15-year-old is matured in ex-sherry casks, ex-bourbon casks and new oak casks, so I expect to find a nice balance between vanilla, fruit and oak.
Glenfiddich 12-Year-Old Single Malt Scotch Review
Glenfiddich is one of the best-selling single malt whiskies in the world. It, along with rival Glenlivet, is available just about everywhere. The distillery was officially founded in 1887, when William Grant first distilled whisky at the site. William Grant & Sons was one of the first companies to market the single malt Scotch to the public in the 1960s. Back then, single malt whiskies weren’t really on the market. Blended whisky was king. Apparently the robust and complex flavors of single malt Scotch was too much for people. Aged in both ex-bourbon and ex-sherry casks, this 12-year-old whisky is the youngest in Glenfiddich’s core range.
Adventures In Whiskey 