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"My rule of life prescribed as an absolutely sacred rite smoking cigars and also the drinking of alcohol before, after and if need be during all meals and in the intervals between them." Winston Churchill
"Always remember that I have taken more out of alcohol than alcohol has taken out of me." -Winston Churchill
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DCS Glenfiddich information below The glen of the river Fiddich gives its name to the biggest-selling single malt whisky in the world. The Glenfiddich distillery is on the small river whose name it bears, in Dufftown. Nearby the Fiddich and river Dullan meet before joining the Spey The name Fiddich indicates that the river runs in the valley of the deer and indeed a stag is the company's emblem. The distillery takes its own water from the Robbie Dubh spring. Glenfiddich spent some time waiting to be discovered. The distillery was founded in 1886/7 by William Grant from second-hand equipment bought at a bargain price from Cardhu and produced its first whisky on Christmas Day 1887. It is still in the original family, as a limited company. Nonetheless it made an early start in the business of bottled single malts. As a small family company it began to face intense competition from bigger names during the economic boom after the Second World War. In 1963 it decided to market its whisky seriously as a single malt and to do so outside Scotland. For many years afterwards companies in the industry continued to regard this as foolishness. The received wisdom of the whisky business was that single malts were too intense in palate for the English and other foreigners. The vision and persistence of the company was in more than one sense single-minded. It was an example and precedent without which few of its rivals would have been emboldened to offer themselves as bottled single malts. Devotees of the genre owe a debt of gratitude to Glenfiddich. The early start laid the foundations for the success of Glenfiddich. The fact that it is among malts one of the less challenging to the palate undoubtedly also helped a great deal. The company also owns the long-established Balvenie and new Kininvie malt distilleries. The principal malt may be close to the mainstream but the distillery is full of character. Much of the original structure in honey-and-grey stone remains, beautifully maintained, and the style has been followed in considerable new construction. Although the distillery no longer produces its own malt, pagodas have been added to some of the newer buildings in a salute - however coy - to tradition. A truly traditional element is the use of coal-fired stills. The stills are small, and the whisky is principally aged in plain oak, though about 10% goes into sherry casks. Whisky aged in different woods is married in plain oak. Glenfiddich likes jokingly to describe its malt as "Chateau-bottled". The distillery is unusual in that it has its own bottling line on the premises. The only other malt distillery with bottling facilities is Springbank, where a very small line is also used for the Cadenhead range. William Grant no longer sells whisky for blending under the Glenfiddich name, the intention being to ensure that the company can guarantee the origin of any whisky bearing this name. Like several other distillers, the company also feels its label should be used only on whisky aged according to its own practices. Cadenhead however has marketed some older ages of single malt under the name Glenfiddich-Glenlivet.
Glenfiddich Distillery History Glenfiddich Distillery Comments Glenfiddich Distillery Bottlings Glenfiddich Distillery Independent Bottlings Glenfiddich Distillery Awards
Glenfiddich: Glenfiddich, Speyside Location: In the field of Glenfiddich ('The valley of the deer') near Dufftown. Visitors Centre: Open all year, Tel: (Scotland) 01340 820373. Solera Reserve This 15-year-old comes from a novel process that
may prove interesting. In essence, 15-year-old or older whiskies from
casks made of American oak, European oak, or Spanish oak (sherry cask),
will be melded together in a large "Solera Cask", only half
of which will be dispersed into bottles at any given time. Presumably,
as this process goes on and on there will always remain a bit of whiskey
from every cask ever contributed to the mix. Interesting, but I have
yet to taste any. The real test will be in 15 or 20 years. 77 This 18-year-old is quite pleasant with some interesting depth to it. A malty, floral nose has some underlying sherry and peaty character. The palate is dry, clean, smooth, malty with a little smoky peatiness. Caoran Reserve 12yo Glenfiddich Caoran Reserve is powerful single malt Scotch whisky that captures its native rugged landscape with every mouthful. First there's a smoky aroma, then spicy top notes that develop into a delightfull blend of sweet fruit with distinctive peaty undertones and a smooth, lingering finish. Pronounced ku-ran, which comes from the Gaelic for "peat ember".
Caoran Reserve uses the idea of bygone days when coal shortages would
mean that greater amounts of local peat were used to dry the malted
barley. This peated version has a distinctive smokiness which complements
the fruit notes characteristic of Glenfiddich.
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