Glenfiddich ‘Our Solera Fifteen’ Single Malt

Earlier this week, the folk from William Grant & Sons hosted a bit of a party to celebrate the announcement of their latest Glenfiddich Canadian Artist in Residence, Julie Forgues. Forgues is the 19th Canadian recipient of the annual Artists in Residence program, which consists of a three month, all-expenses paid residency at the Glenfiddich Distillery in Dufftown, Scotland.

(For more about the laudable Artists in Residence program, click here, and to learn a bit more about Julie Forgues and have a look at some of here work, click here.)

While most of the attendees were from Toronto’s artistic community, Glenfiddich was kind enough to also invite me and my wife, Maggie, to the event at the Cry Baby Gallery in the city’s west end. A couple of cocktails were offered, alongside passed canapés, but after trying one of the mixed drinks – which I found a bit too sweet – I opted to enjoy instead the Glenfiddich 15 year old also on offer. And for that reason, I decided yesterday to open up my own bottle of the whisky and write up a review.  

Medium gold in colour, the Glenfiddich 15 is a mix of whiskies aged in American, European, and new American oak that is blended in the distillery’s solera system prior to being finished in Portuguese oak prior to bottling. And if you think that’s a lot of oak influence, including what’s likely sherry oak (the ‘European’ casks and the solera tun) and bourbon wood (the American oak), plus new oak (probably only a modest amount), and Portuguese (perhaps port pipes, but almost certainly reused enough that they have no further impact), you’re right!

On the nose, the new American barrels presents themselves first in the form of a firm oakiness, although aromas of bourbon-y vanilla follow quickly along with vanilla and caramel, which then give way to almond and honey, all accented by a light scent of wildflowers.

The body is remarkably soft, smooth, and, yes, highly sippable, which explains how I got through several drams during the Artist in Residence event. Paying a bit closer attention to detail this time, it has a honey-ish start, almost creamy in texture, leading in to a mix of marzipan, cinnamon, flamed orange peel, and a touch of lemon oil, with soothing vanilla leading to a dry finish holding just a touch of candied ginger.

While the sherry casks provide a lot of the flavour here, I would instead credit the 15 years of careful cask management as the key to this whisky’s impressive depth, softness, and complexity. Priced pretty well for a single malt of its age, this is a whisky for easy enjoyment, best sipped neat from a cut glass tumbler.

84 ($95 - $120)