Glenfiddich Winter Storm - Experimental Series 03

Glenfiddich Winter Storm - Experimental Series 03, 21 YO, 43 %

Glenfiddich Winter Storm - Experimental Series 03

You might remember that Glenfiddich released two experimental expressions about a year ago; the IPA experiment and the Project XX. Now I have had a chance to test the third experimental expression, the Glenfiddich Winter Storm - Experimental Series 03, released late 2017.

This product was initially matured for 21 years in American oak barrels, and then finished for 12 weeks in French oak ice wine casks. The ice wine casks are sourced from Canadian winemaker Peller Estates Winery, near Niagara.

You can read more about the story behind the Glenfiddich Winter Storm - Experimental Series 03 here.

The selling price was GBP 199 for the 8000 bottles in this limited series, and it appears these bottles are all gone. Hopefully we will see a few bottles released for the Norwegian market soon.

Nose: Delicate is a word that sums up the initial few sniffs. Vanilla, with a touch of grapes and white wine. It comes across as very rich. Give it a few minutes and there are tons of vanilla and icing sugar. This is lovely.

Taste: Medium rich on the palate. Expecting it to be full-on sweetness I am a bit surprised, but pleasantly so, to find toast with orange marmalade right off. The marmalade is made with slightly bitter oranges, and there's a fair amount of zest mixed in. Dark chocolate also makes an appearance.

Finish: Medium long finish. More caramel and more wine notes now. The vanilla from the nose is back. It is thoroughly cool. The contents matching the bottle and the ice wine cask finish adding a distinct new dimension to the Glenfiddich I know.

Comments: Cool and refined! Love the nose. The palate needs a bit more time, but certainly comes around in the end.

Score (88/100)

Sláinte! - Thomas