Glenfiddich 50 year old 1st release

Originally launched in 1991, the first vatting was created using only 9 casks, laid down between 1937 and 1939. One cask for each of the founder’s children. The casks, four distilled in 1937, and five in 1939, were vatted on April 4th 1990 in vat #3034 and married for one year before being bottled on July 26th 1991. 500 bottles were bottled under the watchful eye of David Stewart and hand signed by former Chairman Alexander Grant Gordon, great-grandson of William Grant. It was bottled at 43% abv. Each bottle came with a certificate, stating that the owner of the bottle is to be appointed as a Freeman of Glenfiddich distillery.

From this edition, also 50ml black decanters were made. These were also filled on the 26^th of July 1991 and 105 of them were made.

Glenfiddich 50 year old 2nd release

In 2009, the second release of 50 year old took place. 50 bottles a year were released until 2019.The bottles are all expertly hand-blown, with each individually numbered by hand in wax and then decorated in Scottish Silver, crafted by Thomas Fattorini, a sixth generation silversmith, and imprinted with William Grant & Sons’ own hallmark. The box that caries it is lined with a unique hand-woven silk and finished in hand-stitched leather, inspired by the founder’s own private leather-bound journal. This second 50 year old vatting produced 500 bottles, all filled in 2009 from a marriage of casks from 1955 and 1957.

However, it is unclear how many of these have been released. There are differences in alcohol percentage, which shouldn’t be the case if all bottling happened at the same time.

The bottling in 2009 is 46,1% abv and has a black seal on the bottle. The Bottle plinth says “Glenfiddich 50 year old – Single Malt Scotch Whisky”.

However, there’s also a release at 43,7% abv with a red seal on the bottle. The Bottle plinth there states “Glenfiddich 50 year old – Third Edition”.

Nose: A beautifully harmonious, uplifting, vibrant and complex aroma. Delicate rose petal and violets intertwine with green tobacco leaf, oak and faint hints of smoke.

Taste: Initially very sweet, with zesty orange marmalade and vanilla toffee, cascading through layer after layer of aromatic herb, floral and soft fruits, silky oak tannin and gentle smoke.

Finish: Exceptionally long, with a touch of dry oak and the merest trace of peat.

Colour: Pale gold

Glenfiddich 50 year old Time Re:Imagined Simultaneous Time

The latest release of Glenfiddich 50 year old is part of the Time Re:Imagined series. Further info can be found here