Glenfiddich OB 12,15,18 & 23 year, 2021 bottles

[lincoln imp]

H2H of 12,15,18 & 23 year OB Glenfiddich and being honest I was shocked at the results.
Like many people your first introduction to single malts was Glenmorangie 10, Glenlivet 12, Highland Park 12 or Glenfiddich 12.

I used to like Glenfiddich, the 12 was decent and I used to enjoy the 15 Solera and I remember the 18 was pushing the boat out for a treat,i used to sit in the back garden drinking
the 18, I thought it was a quality dram.

Now after trying the latest 2021 offerings i am a little shocked at how bad they are.

12 year 73 points
15 year 77 points
18 year 71 points
23 year 71 points

My MOTR score is 75 points for drinkable but uninteresting whisky, only the 15 year managed to get over my MOTR score.
The palate is thin on all of these, little balance, bitter palates and not much in the way of enjoyment, what has happened to Glenfiddich, this tasting was a real eye opener.

i am currently drinking a Grant's Stand Fast from around1970which proudly displays the Glenfiddich crest on the neck label.
The old Stand Fast is so much better that it is embarrassing.
The 23 year for the price is the quality on offer is a joke.

Tasting notes, not in depth because the lack of quality made me lose interest, apologies

12 year
Honey, lemon and green apple on the nose with a dry grass note.
The palate is quite thin to start with and surprisingly sour, not massively so but you do notice it.
Green apple skins and a little honey and lemon but not much else on show here.
Finish is quite short, fades quickly.
Nose75
Taste 75
Finish 70

15 year
The nose is more expressive than the 12 year on dried apricot, mango, chocolate wafer biscuits then a little lemon sherbet appears.
Good mouth feel but not particularly sweet at first, decent apple and cinnamon spice note but for me personally it needs to be sweeter to get a higher score.
Finish is a little longer than the 12 but it gets a little bitter.
Nose 77
Taste 78
Finish 77

18 year
On the nose there is green apple, baked apple crumble, wafer and a touch of white pepper.
The palate is a little thin, on sour apple and there is also a slight brown vinegar note, some spice is there but the balance is not right here.
Finish is pretty lame at this price point, nothing to remember.
Nose 73
Taste 73
Finish 67

23 year Grand Cru
Nose 74
Hints of pepper, sweet smoke and possibly faint peat but no really sure about that one?
Sweet sherry, Parma violet,and a slightly grassy note.

Taste 68
The palate is thin and bitter, there is some pepper maybe a little finger, certainly plenty of spice but there is no enjoyment to be had here.

Finish 70
Not that long and not interesting
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Pour me a glass please.

[Craig Mac]

I am surprised to see scores this low for the Glenfiddich 12,15 and 18, i would rate them around 10 points higher.

[unblended]

i brought two bottles of the glenfiddich 18 year old small batch

and i wasnt very impressed not a patch on the old 18 year old

i agree with lincoln imp

worst bit i have been given a bottle of 12 year old not sure i will open it

[Bookie]

[ralfy legend]

Imp has done some great reviews, I will admit the scores seem low, been into whisky since 2012 and even thow the 12 is a starter whisky it’s not changed for me in that time and I’d give it a 84 at best, the 15 I like and a 86 maybe 87, the 18 on first try I really loved and would have given it then a 89 but it’s came down a few since then , bad point on all three is they all 40% but hey I’ve enjoyed imps reviews

[lincoln imp]

I agree with comments here in as much that i thought they would be a lot higher, I was puzzled by this tasting.
these were all samples but the 23 year had just been opened so you would expect that to be ok?
Maybe my palate was having an off night, who knows?
I would like to re do this so may get one of those miniature packs of the 12.15 & 18, if they are not too expensive.
That is the thing with whisky, it is all subjective, there is no right or wrong.

I have just checked the following scores gave to Fiddich bottles

Glenfiddich Project XX Experimental Series No. 02 - 73
Glenfiddich IPA Experiment - 66
Glenfiddich Snow Phoenix -83
Glenfiddich 18 from a few years back - 80
Glenffiddich 12 from a few years back - 73
Glenfiddich 15 solera from 2019 - 70
Glenfiddich rum cask finish 21 year 2017 - 80
Glenfiddich Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival 2016 - 80
Glenfiddich Caoran Reserve Peat Ember - 80

so you can see none score particularly high but these score are interesting of older bottles.

Glenfiddich 8 year triangular bottle 43% - 86
Glenfiddich 15 solera from 2006 - 86
Glenfiddich 18 year Ancient Reserve from 1996- 85
Glenfiddich 30 year from 2007 - 90

I just think quality has dipped in recent years but you can apply that to many distilleries.
My next h2h will be like this one of current Dalwhinnie drams.

For what it is worth one the best whiskies I have ever tasted was a Glenfiddich.
_________________
Pour me a glass please.

[Kava]

I did think the Glenfiddich 15 had dipped slightly in recent years but not so far as i wouldnt buy it if seen on a good offer.

[Charlie]

I may not have the budget of some, my wife still wants to prioritise the mortgage and other things, go figure, but I am pretty sure I would recognise a poor whisky, and for their price point Glenfiddich 12, 15 and 18 are pretty good whiskies.

[Crossroads]

The thing is, Lincoln Imp tastes a hell of a lot more whiskies than I do, so I shall take note of these scores. The 12 year old was easy drinking last time I tried it, but I won’t be spending out on the older versions

[lincoln imp]

I have been looking around in my sample boxes and found a sample that says taken when bottle opened, Glenfiddich pure malt, special old reserve, probably an 80's bottle.
Anyway here are the tasting notes:_

Nose 87
Full of green apple, apple crumble & cream,biscuit and dried grass, dried hay etc

Taste 88
Creamy on the palate with a good mouthfeel, not thin but just right.
There is a nice white pepper and ginger spice note, mixing with the wood, this tastes like mainly bourbon cask to me
The cream and spice mixing well and they are joined by a little peat and more cream.
Good balance on show here

Finish 89
Remaining sweet and spicy to the end with the sweet cream note lasting in your throat, no burn here

As you can see there is no comparison to the latest 12,15,18 & 23 year, this old NAS knocks them all out the park, this is not complex or anything but it is pure malt that is pure enjoyment.
_________________
Pour me a glass please.

[unblended]

i managed to get a mini 12 year old saved me opening the normal bottle
i have to agree with lincoln imp 73 points is about right

[Albie]

Due to its pricing and availability Glenfiddich whiskies have been a regular pour for me and I dont agree with lincoln imps rating of them at all

My rating:

Glenfiddich 12 year old 83 points
Glenfiddich 15 year old 88 points
Glenfiddich 18 year old 90 points

Tastes vary but these are far from being considered poor or bad whiskies IMO

[lincoln imp]

[ralfy legend]

I think also people’s rating system differs from people to people, like I said imp they do seem a bit low but you’ve explained so hey looking forward to your next review 👍

[unblended]

i must admit i quite like the old 18year old it is better than the new small batch
i am not a fan of the old glenfiddichs at all
i am not a fan of scoring because i remember my first book from michael jackson he rated the peaty whiskies from islay
i was new to whisky i couldnt understand why he rated say lagavulin in the 90/s i tried and thought it was horriable
i now understand now what he was saying but at the time was totally bemused how things change