Glenfiddich 15 Solera Reserve Unique Review

Glenfiddich 15 Solera Reserve is a fantastic scotch that doesn’t always get the attention it deserves. It’s not as topical as whatever this years best whisky in the world is, or as historic as some fifty-year old scotches being released. What it is, though, is a consistently terrific reasonably priced scotch (such a rarity these days!).

The solera process, first introduced in whisky by Glenfiddich, originates from wine, beer, and brandy making. In whisky making, it means there’s a big vat (container holding whisky) that is never emptied below the one-third marker. Each barrel that goes into this single malt scotch is aged for fifteen years, and then poured into the vat where it mingles with some Glenfiddich 15 Solera Reserve of the past.

After being given a few months to mingle, it’s bottled. That vat, though, is never fully emptied and thus some of the flavour from the previous scotch remains to influence the next batch of single malts. The whisky keeps getting older, and it keeps getting influenced by each batch of 15 year old scotch poured in.

So how does it taste?

Glenfiddich 15 Solera Reserve Unique
Glenfiddich Distillery
Category: Single malt, Scotch, Solera
Score: 89

Nose: Ginger soda, cinnamon, honey, hard candy, and light caramel.

Palate: Like a freshly squeezed blood orange, it's sweet and zesty all at the same time. There's some pepper, a touch of vanilla, and a hint of char and olive oil. The oiliness doesn’t last long long, but the overall buttery nature of the whisky takes it through.

★ ★ ★ ☆ Excellent, a near must-have in its category considering its price
Undoubtably there are more bottles of Glenfiddich 12 Single Malt scotch sitting on shelves than any other whisky in the world. It’s a fine whisky! It’s smooth, and tempered, and a great expression of a single malt scotch for the price point. The Glenfiddich 15 Solera Reserve, though, is only a few dollars more and has much more to offer on the palate. It also makes  a terrific Rob Roy.

*Whisky Cabinet Rating Explained:
☆ ☆ ☆ ☆  Not recommended
★ ☆ ☆ ☆  Good whisky, but not a ‘must-have’
★ ★ ☆ ☆  Your great regular rotation whisky that'll come and go
★ ★ ★ ☆  Excellent, a near must-have
★ ★ ★ ★  Extraordinary, memorable, and original