Mit Glenfarclas holst Du Dir einen wuchtigen, würzigen und Sherry getriebenen Whisky ins Glas. Seit Generationen in der Hand der Familie Grant ist Glenfarclas heute eine der letzten Destillerien in schottischer Hand. Du bekommst einen ehrlichen, ungefärbten Whisky - einen echten Oldschool Scotch!
About Glenfiddich
What makes Glenfiddich whisky so special? There are many reasons to take a closer look at Glenfiddich whiskys. Its soft, fruity character is one of them. Many whisky lovers owe Glenfiddich the introduction to the enjoyment of Single Malt Scotch Whisky. Due to its gentle manufacturing process and bottling with low volume percentages, Glenfiddich is one of the mildest whiskys in the world. It is therefore perfect as an after-work dram or as a beginner's whisky.
Another fact that speaks for Glenfiddich is its generational heritage and the historical weight of the Glenfiddich brand. Without Glenfiddich there might be few or no single malts for sale outside of Scotland today. Because by the 1960s, most single malts had disappeared into blended Scotch whiskys. Selling the pure single malt of a distillery was previously considered hopeless. After Glenfiddich had taken the bold step with great success, others quickly followed. The rest is history. As a pioneer in the field of single malt Scotch whiskys, we owe Glenfiddich the great variety that we connoisseurs can choose from today.
Due to its popularity and notoriety, Glenfiddich is one of the most widely available single malts in the world. You will find at least the Glenfiddich 12 year old in every well-stocked supermarket. This fact may serve as a reason for some whisky fans to sort the Speyside whisky into the budget whisky or mass-produced category. We understand these thoughts. In the making part, however, you'll find that Glenfiddich is made the same way like most other single malt Scotch whiskys in Scotland. Success is no reason to be ashamed! In addition, Glenfiddich convinces in the core range with a great price-value ratio. More than reason enough to stick your nose in a Glenfiddich (again).
Especially because of its ubiquitous presence, it may surprise one or the other whisky connoisseur that Glenfiddich is still in family hands. William Grant & Sons is still run by the Grant family today. Glenfiddich is one of the few Scotch whisky distilleries that are still in Scottish ownership. The Grant dynasty undoubtedly shaped Scottish whisky history and is partly responsible for the international success of Scotch whisky. In addition to Glenfiddich, the company still owns the Balvenie, Kininvie and Ailsa Bay distilleries, as well as the Grants blended Scotch brand and the Tullamore Dew Irish blend brand.
What does Glenfiddich's name mean? Like many Scottish distillery names, Glenfiddich is made up of the words Glen for valley and the river Fiddich. Literally translated, Glenfiddich could also be called Valley of Fiddich or Deer Valley. The stag is therefore a suitable heraldic animal for the proud Speyside Whisky.
Fun fact about Glenfiddich: The shape of Glenfiddich's pot stills hasn't changed since it was founded in 1886.
3 reasons to love Glenfiddich
1) Because you never forget the first kiss either.
2) Because we owe a lot to the courage of the Grant family.
3) Because the distillery is traditional and still family-owned.
How does Glenfiddich whisky taste?
Glenfiddich whiskys are light, floral and malty-sweet. The malt used is not peated and therefore Glenfiddich whiskys are usually not smoky. The cask aging brings fine oak notes to the whisky, which goes well with the diverse, fruity character of the distillery. Tropical fruits, creamy caramel and delicate notes of hay or summer meadow are typical aromas in Glenfiddich whiskies. If you're looking for a mild whisky, you've come to the right place at Glenfiddich!
How is Glenfiddich Single Malt made?
The Glenfiddich Single Malt whisky is produced on the premises of the Glenfiddich Distillery in the sleepy town of Dufftown in Scotland. Dufftown confidently calls itself the Malt whisky Capital of the World. The small town, which has fewer than 1,700 inhabitants, is not entirely wrong. In Scotland they say "Rome was built on seven hills, Dufftown stands on seven stills". This alludes to the seven whisky distilleries that were once located in Dufftown: Mortlach, Glenfiddich, Balvenie, Convalmore, Dufftown, Glendullan and Parkmore.
In the course of history, Pittyvaich can also be named as the eighth, but like Convalmore and Parkmore they had to close. Dufftown is in the heart of the Speyside region, which whiskys are renowned worldwide. Above all, they are said to be elegant, soft, often fruity and flowery in bouquet and rarely smoky. Last but not least, Speyside owes this image to Glenfiddich. Because the distillery was one of the first to sell its Scotch whisky as a single malt and opened its doors to the world public with a visitor center.
In addition to Glenfiddich, the Kininvie and Balvenie distilleries are also located on the large distillery site of William Grant & Sons. The bundling of the three distilleries makes a lot of sense, because the facility also includes a cooperage, a bottling plant and numerous barrel stores. Glenfiddich Distillery has a comprehensive visitor center which includes its own café. It is therefore not surprising that Glenfiddich is one of Scotland's favorite tourist attractions. Despite the large number of visitors, the distillery tours at Glenfiddich are highly recommended. The tours offer an authentic insight into the production of the legendary single malt whisky.
On the history of Glenfiddich
It is hard to believe today that Glenfiddich is not one of the oldest distilleries in Scotland from a whisky historical perspective. The story of Glenfiddich begins with William Grant. He had already worked at Mortlach Distillery for 20 years when he decided to build his own distillery. He bought a piece of land on the River Fiddich and in 1886 he and his family began to build the distillery by hand themselves. William Grant bought the stills used from Cardow, now Cardhu Distillery.
At Christmas 1887, the first New Make spirit flowed from the Glenfiddich pot stills. As early as 1892, William Grant followed suit with the construction of the Balvenie Distillery. In 1903 William Grant took his sons into the company and named it William Grant & Sons. As one of the very few distilleries, Glenfiddich managed to continue producing even through the two world wars. When William Grant's grandson died prematurely in 1953, Glenfiddich passed into the hands of his sons Charles and Sandy. However, the two twenty-somethings quickly proved that they could ensure Glenfiddich's success and continued existence.
In 1957, Glenfiddich introduced the distinctive triangular bottle, a marketing hit that remains unparalleled to this day. The recognition value of Glenfiddich thus became timeless. Sandy Grant Gordon began marketing Glenfiddich Straight Malt in 1963. This was one of the first single malt whiskys to be sold worldwide. A milestone not only in the history of Glenfiddich, but for the entire whisky industry.
In 1969, the distillery was one of the first to open a visitor center. Today, Glenfiddich is in the fifth generation of the Grant family. William Grants & Sons has grown into a global company that, in addition to the Scottish distilleries, also owns the blends Monkey Shoulder, Grants, the Irish brand and distillery Tullamore Dew and the gin brand Hendrick's Gin.
Recommendations in the Glenfiddich range
As briefly mentioned above, Glenfiddich convinces with a great value-for-money ratio, especially in its core range. If you're looking for smooth, non-smoky whiskys with subtle fruit notes, check out the three aged Glenfiddichs.
The Glenfiddich 12 year old is the best-selling single malt in the world. And not without reason. The Glenfiddich 12 year old is light and tasty with notes of orchard, honey and malt. A lightweight sipper with an unbeatable price.
Our tip is the Glenfiddich 15 year old. This is where Glenfiddich is at its best. At 15 you have more depth in the glass here than with the 12-year-old Glenfiddich. However, it remains pleasantly easy to drink and spoils you with aromas of ripe fruits, vanilla and delicate tones of spices.
If you would like to continue down this tasty path, then we can also warmly recommend the Glenfiddich 18 year old. In terms of price, it is far below other representatives of this older whisky age. Here you can enjoy a deep, mature single malt that at the same time retains the lightness and mildness of the distillery. A creamy delight of baked apple and oak tones, which become a well-rounded experience with dried fruit and candied citrus peel.
Facts & Figures about Glenfiddich
Address: Dufftown, Banffshire, AB55 4DH
Founded: 1886 by William Grant
Region: Speyside Whisky
Owner: Grant family (William Grant & Sons Ltd.)
Type: Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Smoke: Unpeated/ Non-smoky
Status: active
Capacity: 21,000,000 lpa (litres per year)
Stills: 43, 16 wash stills (9,100 l), 27 spirit stills (4,550 l)
Washbacks: 48, Douglas Spruce
Mashtun: 4 Full Lauter, each 10 ton capacity
Water: Robbie Dubh Springs
Visitor Centre: Yes
Telephone: +44 (0)1340 / 820373
Website: www.glenfiddich.com
Directions to the Glenfiddich Distillery
Warum “The Glenlivet”?
Die Glenlivet-Brennerei wie wir sie heute kennen, entstand 1858 auf dem Gelände der Minmore-Farm. Der hier produzierte Malt Whisky wurde schnell zum Inbegriff des edlen Speyside-Malts. Zu dieser Zeit etablierte sich der Glenlivet Titel als eine Art der regionalen Zuordnung zum “ Glen Livet”, dem Tal des Livets was Glenlivet wörtlich übersetzt bedeutet. Ein eindrucksvolles Beispiel ist die Nachbar- und Geschwister-Destillerie Aberlour, die ebenfalls einen klasse Speyside Single Malt herstellt. Auch Macallan, Glenfarclas, Cragganmore, Glen Grant, Mortlach und Benrinnes führten lange Glenlivet als Beiname. Selbst Brennereien wie Glen Moray, die recht weit vom Livet Tal entfernt liegen, schmückten sich mit dem klangvollen Namen.
1881 hatte Georges Sohn John Gordon Smith, der die Brennerei mittlerweile übernommen hatte, die Nase voll und ging vor Gericht. Im zähen Rechtsstreit argumentierten die anderen Brennereien der Region, Glenlivet sei bereits vor der Benennung der Destille von George Smith eine regionale und stilistische Verortung gewesen, ähnlich wie Islay Whisky. Smith sah die häufige Verwendung des Glenlivet Begriffs als Trittbrettfahren auf dem Erfolg des Glenlivet Single Malts. 1884 schließlich wurde eine Vereinbarung unterzeichnet, die nur Glenlivet den Titel “The Glenlivet" zu gestand. Andere Brennereien konnten den Zusatz -Glenlivet zu ihrem Brennereinamen weiter verwenden. Noch 1980 waren 28 Destillerien in Schottland registriert, diese Bezeichnung verwendeten wie etwa Glen Grant-Glenlivet. Daher findest Du noch heute auf den alten Fässern vieler namenhafter Speyside-Destillerien den Zusatz “Glenlivet”.
Du siehst, jeder Tropfen The Glenlivet enthält eine spannende Geschichte. Glenlivet das Bild der Speyside Region maßgeblich geprägt und zählt heute zu einer der Bilderbuch-Beispiele für einen Speyside Whisky.
3 Gründe, Glenlivet zu lieben
1) Weil er ein wahrer Klassiker ist.
2) Weil schon die Flasche Appetit macht.
3) Weil er sich die Nachahmer redlich erarbeitet hat.
picture credits/ source of photos: Leon Schuster Malt Mariners
Just treat yourself to the practical Glenfiddich gift set with all three variants in the practical 200ml bottle. Also a great gift for friends who you want to bring the Single Malt closer to.
If you really want to treat yourself to something, then grab the Glenfiddich 21 year old Gran Reserva. This old Glenfiddich bottling was matured in hand-picked rum casks. The Caribbean rum casks give the Glenfiddich 21 Years Gran Reserva a very special touch. Complex aromas of intense vanilla, floral notes and exotic fruits such as banana and lime make this treat special.
Tasty Experiments - The Experimental Series by Brian Kinsman
Glenfiddich also offers a nice range for single malt lovers who want a little more variety and volume in the glass. Malt Master Brian Kinsman's Experimental Series is a fresh take on Speyside Distillery.
Experimental Series No.1 is the Glenfiddich IPA. A craft beer was specially created for this bottling. The Glenfiddich IPA was finished in the beer casks that previously held the Indian Pale Ale. This special edition bears sweet notes of vanilla and delicate hints of hops. An exciting combination!
Experimental Series No.2: The Glenfiddich Project XX was created by 20 brand ambassadors of the distillery. They were allowed to choose their personal favorites from a large number of casks. Brian Kinsman married these 20 casks to fill Glenfiddich Project XX.
Experimental Series No.3: The Glenfiddich Winter Storm is the premium version of the series. This Glenfiddich was allowed to mature in French wine barrels. These previously contained Canadian ice wine from the Niagara region. Unfortunately, this edition was published in a very small number and was quickly sold out. For collectors, the Glenfiddich Winter Storm has become an object of desire.
Experimental Series No.4: The Glenfiddich Fire & Cane is a 43% ABV variant that features an alluring temptation of subtle smoke and sweet rum flavors. The Glenfiddich Fire & Cane was made from lightly peated malt and therefore exceptionally shows light smoky notes. The subsequent maturation in Caribbean rum casks provides an extra exotic fruity note.
Glenfiddich processes unpeated malt, which means that the whisky contains no smoky or peaty aromas. Exceptions like the Glenfiddich Fire & Cane prove the rule. Since a major distillery expansion in 2020, Glenfiddich has had four stainless steel mash tuns. Each mash tun has a capacity of ten tons. In the mash tuns, mash is made from the malt grist. The wort that is now obtained is mixed with yeast in the 48 traditional wooden washbacks. It's amazing that Glenfiddich, despite its enormous size, continues to rely on wooden fermentation vats, because these are far more difficult to clean than stainless steel washbacks. On average, fermentation at Glenfiddich takes about 72 hours.
The distillation takes place in one of the two still houses. Here, too, the Speyside distillery has a special feature. The shape and size of the copper stills, the pot stills, have a major impact on the final character of a raw whisky spirit. Small bulbous stills like those at Glenfiddich are said to produce a heavy, oily new make. However, Glenfiddich's distillery character is light, malty and floral with notes of pears and apples. Glenfiddich achieves this through an early cut in the alcohol run. The fact that Glenfiddich has remained true to the original form of the stills during the expansion of the distillery is a testament to the distillery's awareness of tradition. The shape of the Glenfiddich Pot Stills has not changed since 1886.
Glenfiddich single malts are mostly matured in ex-bourbon casks and ex-sherry casks. Before bottling their whiskys, Glenfiddich uses a process inspired by Spanish sherry bodegas. In the Solera process, sherries are stored and matured in different layers of casks in Spain. If sherry is taken, it is always taken from the lowest and oldest batch. The casks are then filled with younger sherry from the batch above.
Glenfiddich has adopted the Solera process for some whiskys. For example, bottlings with the same cask recipe are emptied into a large wooden container, the vat. The whisky sits in this vat for a while and thus combines to form a round single malt. For the bottling of the whisky, the vat is never completely emptied, which means that some of the old batch is always mixed with the new batch. This process was originally introduced for the Glenfiddich 15 Year Solera Reserve. There are now other bottlings that are created in this way, such as the Glenfiddich Select Cask, Glenfiddich Reserve Cask and the Glenfiddich Vintage Cask Range.