Glenfiddich 12 Year

Glenfiddich 12 Year is a Speyside single malt bottled at 40% ABV, and it's one of the more recognizable reference points for the region's style. The whisky is aged in a combination of American oak and European oak sherry casks. That pairing is why expect-it-from-the-category notes of fresh orchard fruit, vanilla and light oak sit alongside a gentle sherried sweetness. Whiskies from Speyside in this vein typically show pear and green apple, soft malt and honeyed sweetness, with little to no peat smoke. If you're coming from heavily smoked Islay bottlings, this sits at the opposite end of the Scotch spectrum. Glenfiddich is family owned, and the distillery warehouses its whisky on site. It also runs its own cooperage and its own bottling plant for the triangular, three-cornered bottle. At 40%, the spirit is approachable at the pour and doesn't need much help. Neat is the natural way to start, at room temperature, so the fruit and vanilla come through rather than being muted by cold. A few drops of water can open up the malt and soften any alcohol edge, while a single large ice cube in a rocks glass suits those who prefer it cooler and slower; expect the sweetness to tighten and the oak to feel a little drier as it chills. For glassware, a Glencairn is the better choice for nosing, since the tapered bowl gathers the orchard-fruit and vanilla aromas toward the rim. A rocks glass is the more relaxed option for sipping, particularly over ice. In cocktails, a lighter, fruit-forward malt like this suits drinks where the whisky shouldn't be buried. A Scotch Old Fashioned, built with a sugar cube, a couple of dashes of aromatic bitters and an orange peel, lets the vanilla and pear notes show through. A Rob Roy, which is the Manhattan made with Scotch, pairs it with sweet vermouth and bitters for a softer, rounder result than the rye version. For a Highball, pour over plenty of ice and top with chilled soda water at roughly one part whisky to two or three parts soda, then finish with a lemon twist for a light, refreshing drink. It also works in a Whisky Sour, where its gentle profile keeps the lemon from overwhelming it. For a neat pour, a few slices of fresh pear or apple, or a mild cheese, are natural companions to the fruit-led character.