Glenfiddich

Translation: Valley of the Fiddich (Hirschtal)

Region: Speyside

No, to be loved is nothing to be ashamed of.

Glendfiddich was and is for many the entry into the world of malt whiskey. Because Glenfiddich is probably the most famous and best available malt. But that, to put it plainly, is no reason to sneer at Glenfiddich's nose.

Firstly, the distillery makes extremely clean, drinkable malts. Second, the distillery is pleasantly old-fashioned despite its success and still in family ownership since its inception. And third, it was the Grandsons of Glenfiddich who were the first to offer single malt as such consistently and made it known beyond the borders of Scotland.

For until the 1960s, the Malts disappeared nameless as a "mixed component" in the blended whiskeys. To offer pure single malt internationally? These expensive, idiosyncratic drops? This was in the whiskey industry as hopeless. Until Glenfiddich did it ...

A little history

The distillery was built in 1886 by William Grant. At the place where it still stands today: in the eponymous valley "Glenfiddich" in the Speyside area, at the northern end of the small town Dufftown. Christmas 1887 was the first spirit from the stills, which were from the inventory of the old Cardhu distillery. Since then, Glenfiddich has been producing consistently, in the same place, using the same manufacturing process, in the hands of the same Grant family.

The later built on the site also the distilleries Balvenie (1892) and Kininvie (1990, closed 2010).

Glenfiddich marketed his single malt from 1963 outside Scotland and was thus a pioneer. The distillery was also the first to open to visitors with a visitor center.

What do I actually have in the glass?

The stills from Glenfiddich are among the smallest in the whiskey world. Following a common theory, the whiskey so produced should actually have a fairly heavy, dense, oily body. It is not so. The Glenfiddich malts are more of the lighter variety, slender, elegant, slightly malty with grass and hay.

3 reasons to love Glenfiddich

1) Because there would be no malt whiskeys here without the courage of the Grant family.

2) Because the distillery is traditional and still family-owned.

3) Because you never forget the first kiss.

The one drama for the lonely island

Worth a find is the excellent, elegant 18-year-old

numbers and facts

Address: Dufftown, Banffshire, AB55 4DH

Founded: 1886 by William Grant

Status: active

Owner: Family Grant (William Grant & Sons Ltd.)

Capacity: about 12,000,000 liters

10 wash stills (9,100 l)

18 spirit stills (4,550 l)

Water: Robbie Dubh Springs

Visitor Center: Yes

Telephone: +44 (0) 1340 820 373

Website: www.glenfiddich.com