Whisky is an art of smelling, tasting and appreciation. It takes time to grow on you, I will definitely agree to that. If you’re like me just getting into the world of whisky or consider yourself a Scotch Aficionado, read on to find out more about Glenfiddich and our upcoming Triple 3 Glenfiddich Virtual MasterClass on 27th August, Thursday, 7.30pm!

We spoke to Glenfiddich Brand Ambassador, Brett Bayly to find out more about Glenfiddich. 

Q: Tell us more about Glenfiddich

BB: Established in 1887 by William Grant, Glenfiddich is one of the few distilleries in Scotland that not only survived, but thrived during the American prohibition era, and World War II era. 

A back catalogue of incredible award winning Single Malts, attributed to our legacy of Malt Masters, and a dedicated mentality to the future of Scotch whisky & innovation keeps Glenfiddich pushing boundaries at the forefront of the category for Malts.

Q: The lineup for the Glenfiddich Master Class includes 15 Year Solera Reserve, 18 Year and Project XX. What are your favourite characteristics about each of them?

BB: The Glenfiddich 15 year old was the first whisky in the world to put into play the unique process of Solera systems back in 1998. 

Having a stamp on whisky history, backed up by one of the best value for money whiskies based on its flavour profile, definitely makes the 15 year old a standout in the Glenfiddich portfolio.

The 18 year old is wildly easy to drink, having been purposefully produced in small batches since its launch. 

Brian Kinsman our current malt master has a hand on every step of production for this whisky, and hand selects every single cask that goes into each batch, ensuring through his honed abilities, to nose and identify if the blend of single malt casks is suitable for the build of this breathtaking whisky.

The Project XX was the second of our experimental series, and was a part of Glenfiddich’s dedication to innovation. TWENTY minds came together to select twenty unique casks that range as far back as 1984, to develop what I like to call a journey whisky. 

The nose profile is drastically different to the palate profile, and really does take any consumer on a journey, for myself, bringing back childhood memories of the sights and smells of going to the carnival.

Q: Why should I join the Triple 3 Glenfiddich Virtual MasterClass?

BB: A master class is an opportunity to sample some great whiskies, but also to get the nitty gritty details on each bottling. My job entails a lot of archive research, time spent with our malt master, flavour matching & profiling, and time spent out in various markets. 

What all this accumulates to is a detailed understanding of not just the Glenfiddich brand heritage, but process techniques, craftsmanship that goes into producing the liquid, stories from the road of unique serves, and so on. It also gives you a good reason to enjoy a dram and switch off from the world to focus on something incredible.

Q: Speaking of dram, do you have a favourite Glenfiddich?

BB: I’ve been fortunate enough to try quite a few of our heritage stock that is either rare or unavailable, and while all have been unique and undeniably an amazing experience, I’m always drawn back to the Glenfiddich 15 year old. 

The palate for this whisky is an absolute power house, with driven spice notes, beautiful rich sweetness, and lingering oak, all sitting at the modest price point of a 15 year old whisky. 

The experience from a consumer’s eyes, is absolute value for money, with a complex and robust whisky for an incredible price point. 

Q: Riot ALERT! Common misconception about Scotch Whisky?

BB: One misconception is that older whisky, is better whisky. I love engaging this conversation, as age has nothing to do with quality. Single malt is made from only 3 ingredients, and Glenfiddich ensures to use the highest quality on all our expressions, regardless of if it has a 50 year old age statement, or no age statement at all! 

The mentality I encourage people to view whisky with, is application. How are you going to enjoy a dram? Who will you be sharing a drink with? Where are you imbibing? All of these elements should be a part of the thought process in deciding which bottle to open, not how old it is. 

Q: Bonus question! What’s the best way to enjoy whisky?

BB: My suggestion is how you prefer. Often we will recommend ‘cutting’ your whisky with water if you’re tasting for the first time by adding small amounts of high quality water. This allows particles in the whisky to separate slightly, making it easier to taste the profile of the whisky. 

Over ice, neat, with a mixer, all of this really comes down to personal preference. There is absolutely no wrong way to enjoy whisky, but it’s always suggested to sample a whisky you’re new to either neat, or with a small portion of water to cut with so you understand the complexities.

Thank you Brett Bayly for taking the time to share more about Glenfiddich with us and see you at the Triple 3 Glenfiddich Virtual MasterClass on 27th August, Thursday, 7.30pm! 

See more of our selection of Glenfiddich.

Be sure to place your order by 4pm daily to enjoy our Next Day Delivery! If you’re in a hurry, you may also consider our Same Day Express Delivery for $8 or 2 hour Lighting Express Delivery for $19.90.