Glenfiddich Bourbon Barrel Reserve, 14yo

Glenfiddich Bourbon Barrel Reserve, 14yo
Rating27.5/40
OriginScotland, Speyside, Dufftown
DistilleryGlenfiddich
OwnerWilliam Grant & Sons
EditionBourbon Barrel Reserve
StyleSingle Malt
CaskEx-Bourbon Casks, Charred New American Oak Barrels
Strength43% (86 Proof)
WhiskybaseWhiskybase
Wine SearcherWine Searcher

Glenfiddich’s Speyside single malt is first matured in Ex-Bourbon casks for 14 years and then finished for a few months in charred new American Oak barrels sourced from the Kelvin Cooperage in Louisville, Kentucky.

Nose: Pleasant but… small? This one just refuses to expand beyond a small bubble that terminates about one half inch from the top of the glass. But if you stick your nose into that little pocket then what you find in there is actually quite pretty. (7/10)

Palate: Smooth with watery fringes. And by smooth I mean vague. It doesn’t seem to have any memorable characteristics. Sort of what one might consider the average flavor of a non-peaty single malt with no special maturation or finish to be. Boring but not exactly bad as such. (5/10)

Finish: This is where this thing finally comes to life. Dark but sparkly notes rise from the very back of the palate. It’s almost like drinking a really nice, freshly carbonated single malt flavored craft cola. But in the end it just doesn’t have the power to really light up the old fireplace in my chest. There’s a nice bit of warmth developing eventually but it never reaches beyond the throat. Still, this part of the whisky is quite enjoyable. (8/10)

Balance: Perfectly suited to start off an evening of tasting whisky. The palate is a rather nondescript and uninteresting but it’s short-lived anyway and serves as a quick transition from a pretty nose to a solid finish. (7.5/10)

Bunnahbhain Pedro Ximénez Finish Ltd. Release, 14yo, 2003/2017

Bunnahabhain PX Finish Ltd. Release, 2003/2017, 14yo., close-up
Rating32/40
OriginScotland, Islay, North Shore
DistilleryBunnahabhain
OwnerDistell Group
DistilledMarch 24th, 2003
StyleSmall Batch Single Malt Whisky
Cask2nd fill Sherry casks followed by 3 years in Pedro Ximénez casks
BottledJune 21st, 2017
Bottles6768
Strength54.3% (108.6 proof)
Price$100-200

Nose: A little funky. Some unripe fruit and perhaps blue cheese? (7/10)

Palate: More fruit. (8/10)

Finish: The fruit them continues but with fruit gums. (9/10)

Balance: Odd stuff, this one, but nice. (8/10)

Springbank Bourbon Wood, 14yo, 2002/2017

Springbank Bourbon Cask, 2002/2017, 14yo., close-up
Rating34/40
OriginScotland, Campeltown
DistillerySpringbank
DistilledNovember 2002
StyleSmall Batch Single Malt Whisky
CaskFresh and Refill Bourbon Barrels
BottledAugust 2017
Bottles9000
Strength55.8% (111.6 proof)
Price$115-150

Nose: Plums and peaches. (9/10)

Palate: Delicious alcohol-soaked peach slices served on a wooden cutting board. (9/10)

Finish: One is first left with just a few acerbic notes but then, eventually, fruity echoes rise followed by a deep warmth. This takes serious time to develop though. (9/10)

Balance: I’m dinging it on the balance because the finish sure takes some time to sort itself out. But, hoo boy, is it awesome when it finally does! (7/10)