Glenfiddich Excellence is a new 26 years old expression aged exclusively in ex-bourbon American oak casks sourced from the Kelvin Cooperage in Kentucky (which happens to be owned by a Scottish family). Actually it’s the first whisky in the core range of Glenfiddich to be entirely matured in bourbon casks.
Glenfiddich 26 yo ‘Excellence’
(43%, OB 2014)
Glenfiddich 26 yo ‘Excellence’Nose: delicate, but very fruity, floral and uplifting. It’s got some nice apricot and white nectarine aromas, pineapple, as well as some floral honey. Lovely bergamot, a little jasmine tea. Orange blossom. Vanilla biscuits. Soft mint and spices. A subtle leathery hint as well. Pretty great.
Mouth: very gentle but not weak, quite creamy but definitely more spiced now (pepper, ginger) before coming back to the fruity notes. Pineapple and lemon sherbet. Some grassy notes, liquorice and toasted oak.
Finish: not too long. You can still get the fruits and pepper but they’re fading quickly.
This Glenfiddich 26 Year Old is all about elegance. Especially the nose is great – on the palate it fails to deliver the same level of tropical fruitiness and it would have benefited from a bit of extra strength. It’s priced for prestige markets but you can’t deny it’s well-made. Around € 450.
Score: 90/100