This is the third in a 3 part series comparing some of Glenfiddich’s mid range solera vat single malts: the Select Cask, the Reserve Cask and the 15 year Solera Reserve. I tasted all 3 of them together but not blindly.
The final entry is the Reserve Cask which is another duty free only bottle that is exclusively aged in sherry casks before being married in the solera vat. I picked this up alongside the Select Cask on the way back from Mexico.
Review
Age: NAS
Abv: 80 proof
Color: A darker amber
Price: $60
Neat
Nose: Rich dark cherry notes complimented by spice and a bit of oak
Taste: Ripe cherry and spice notes with some more oak notes in the background. Solid mouthfeel given the proof but not as nice as the 15 year.
Finish: Medium length finish with lingering sweet, dark cherry
Conclusion
I really enjoyed this deeply sherry influence expression. It had the longest finish of the 3 solera bottles, a nice mouthfeel and rich oak notes with no bitterness. Overall this is solid bottle for the price if you like sherried Speyside single malts and a worthwhile duty free snag even though the 15 year did edge it out by a nose for me.
It was a lot fun to try all 3 of these solera cask single malts side by side and this was a good reminder that most duty free exclusives aren’t anything amazing.
7 - a great whiskey I’d order at a bar
Fair - Worth the money, happy with my purchase
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