Glenfiddich Coaran Reserve

[Taggerung]

I just received a bottle of Glenfiddich Caoran Reserve 12yo as a gift from a friend. It was purchased at a duty-free shop.

1) Has anyone here tried it?

2) How does it compare with "standard" Glenfiddich 12 or anything else for that matter?

3) Is it any good?

-T

[ThomasH]

I have never heard of this version of Glenfiddich, but will say that the regular 12yr. bottling is one of my favorite single malts!

Thomas

[Taggerung]

I've read some reviews and tasting notes and it's a special expression trying to recreate the flavor of a peated Glenfiddich as it was during the second world war when coal supplies were scarce.

A peated/smokey Glenfiddich is a bit of an oxymoron I understand so I wonder if anyone has tried it.

[Megawatt]

I believe it is finished in casks which previously held Islay malt. Smoky Glenfiddich! Never had it, but I've read good reviews.

[drrich1965]

I believe it is finished in casks which previously held Islay malt. Smoky Glenfiddich! Never had it, but I've read good reviews.

Here are my notes, long winded, but here you are..in my book, this score is a slightly underaverage single malt.

73SmGlenfiddich 12yo Caoran Reserve (40%, OB, circa 2005)August 31, 2007. Given that Michael Jackson died yesterday, open this one in his honor. He scored this far higher than some other reviews I have read, so perhaps I will enjoy this as much as he did. I also am a closet (well, not so closeted) Glenfiddich fan. How uncool is that? Of course this is just the first tasting, and the bottle will have to breath, so thoughts and notes are tentative. Nose: Malty, cookies, grapey sherry. Soft, not too assertive. Decent. After a while, something more assertive, almost industrial. Mouth: Very thin, and a bit odd. Muddled, hard to tease much apart. Some malts where you have a hard time picking up individual tastes I would describe as integrated; this is just muddled, grabbled, mushy. Mid palate there is a bit of malty sweetness, which is the strength of the drink, perhaps a bit of the Glenfiddich honey. There is some peat smoke at the end of the mouth, and that moves into a sort of bitter chocolate finish. Maybe burned chocolate, a bit sour. Long, but I am wishing it was not so long. For the first score, going to have to call this below average- the anti Solera Reserve, which allows you to pick out each flavor with ease. Hopefully oxidation treats this one kindly. I think I am making it out to be worse than it is; it is drinkable for sure. Maybe I don't agree with all of MJs ratings, and certainly not on this one, but I can still lift this glass in gratitude, and it somehow tastes pretty good. October 19th. The bottle has now been open for a while, so lets see if time improved it. The nose: still very malty, and sweet. Lots of honey, and perhaps a bit of sherry (yes, I previously wrote grapey). Perhaps the smallest hint of smoke. Mouth: The first thing I notice is that the body is very thin. It is almost watery. Honeyish, malty, a bit of smoke It is enjoyable, but I wonder what it would be like at cask strength, which some more oomph. The body is too light for this one to be give an average score, but it is very drinkable. Might be one for someone who wants to move from blends to a single, and something with a hint of peat.

[Megawatt]

Sounds more like a rather average blended Scotch than a single malt, by your description.

[kateric]

Smokier than their normal stuff, but nothing like Highland Park or Talisker. Definite fruity undertone. Little spicy on the finish. Bottle says 'powerful'... I would not say so... I've always thought their stuff would be better at higher proof - this included. I don't find it to be anything special really. The only one in their line I have really liked allot was the Solera Reserve.