Glenfiddich 14 Year Rich Oak

I genuinely believe that Glenfiddich--as a distillery--doesn't receive enough recognition from the whisky snobs. It's damning with faint praise to say so, but no one does non-craft presentation single malts better than them. And when they focus (as with the cask-strength 15 Distillery Edition), they can be brilliant. But I must admit, this one--finished in new oak--just didn't work for me. The color is strangely orange. The smell is like off-brand orange soda, tropical fruits (mango, papaya), artificial sweetener, sawdust, lumber, stale beer. Vanilla and pear notes that occasionally start to blend into a fruity, yogurt-like creaminess. White grape, floral, and then something like a throat lozenge? It's a bit all over the place. The taste is light and somewhat thin--no surprise at 40%--with lots of sweetness. Pears, apples, peaches, more orange soda, melon, cinnamon. There's a distant resemblance to bourbon (credit the new oak), but it's vague. Lemon Lifesavers. But the sweetness quickly turns dry, leaving some bitterness, a metallic note, and a hint of fried plantain chips (?). A short finish of bitterness, chalky vanilla, and fruits. I wanted to enjoy this spirit more than I did, but then again, I'm generally not fond of "new oak" finishes. It's decent enough, but I would gladly choose the (cheaper) 15 Solera over this particular experiment.

Following the pleasant surprise of my initial Christmas present a few days prior (Glenfiddich 12 year old), I was eager to try this one: the Glenfiddich Rich Oak (14 year old). The aroma was moderately sweet and indeed somewhat oaky, but very welcoming. The palate was quite full, a little woodier than the 12 year old, and I even believe I can detect both European and American oak, though they are nicely combined with some hints of vanilla/brown sugar, or perhaps honey? The finish lingered surprisingly long, particularly the vanilla notes and some spices. It's a difficult choice, but I think I even prefer it slightly more than the Glenfiddich 12 year old, which I like a lot, but was just a tiny bit more acidic. It does make me curious about other Glenfiddich expressions, though...:)

Nose: full, very soft, sweet, round, maple syrup, abundant vanilla, abundant honey, aperitif, abundant peaches, some dried fruit, raisins. Adding water introduces a slight sourness in the background. Palate: soft, round, slightly oily, sweet, vanilla, honey, possessing a bourbon-like character, nutty, with plenty of mellow sweet and spiced oak, and a subtle bitterness at the end. Finish: long, sweet, nutty, bourbon-like, honeyed.

Specially selected virgin Spanish and American oak casks impart extra layers of aroma and flavor to this spirit. Poured medium amber, expect aromas of caramel, toffee, vanilla, new oak, and a touch of orange peel; warm oaky flavors with toffee and creamy vanilla on a smooth palate are balanced by a lightly spiced finish.

A pleasant surprise. It's unusual for me to enjoy this type of whisky, but the powerful, enveloping woody flavors in this one were so intense and persistent they sent shivers down my spine. We appreciate when whiskies can unsettle us, and that's precisely what happened here.

Definitely very oak-forward. Dryer compared to the standard Glenfiddich, but still smooth with added spice and smoke. Still easy to drink, though. At 40% ABV, it does taste a bit muted, but then again, Glenfiddich has always been like that. Not bad, but not impressed either.