Glenfiddich

Glenfiddich was founded by William Grant in Dufftown, in the heart of Speyside, and first ran its stills on Christmas Day 1887. It is still owned by William Grant & Sons, which remains a family company. The whisky is distilled and matured in Dufftown, and the brand did much to make single malt known to drinkers outside Scotland.

The house style is light and fruity, often described as pear and apple with a soft oakiness. The distillery uses water from the Robbie Dhu springs and matures in a mix of American oak bourbon casks and European oak sherry casks.

The core range is built around the 12 Years, the 15 Year Old Solera, which is married in a large solera vat that is never fully emptied, and the 18 Years, with older expressions such as the 21 Year Old rum cask finish and very rare bottlings like the 50 Year Old. The Experimental Series, which includes Project XX, tries unusual casks and methods, and the Perpetual Collection carries on the solera idea at higher ages.

Collectors will also find older bottlings such as the Pure Malt 8 year old and earlier 12 year old labels, along with Vintage Reserve and special editions like the Chinese New Year releases. Glenfiddich is widely available, so it is a good brand for comparing prices.