Glenfiddich 21 Review and Guide

Glenfiddich 21 Grand Reserve is an outstanding Speyside single malt whiskey that has been patiently matured for 21 years onsite at the historic Glenfiddich Distillery in Dufftown, Scotland. Owned and produced by William Grant and Sons, Glenfiddich is the best-selling single malt whiskey on this planet.

Their Glenfiddich 21-Year-Old collection is one of their best creations. This whiskey offers definitive Speyside tastes, combined with vibrant notes from authentic Caribbean Rum Casks.

It delivers delicate flavors of sweet vanilla, malt, creamy toffee, figs, banana, lime, ginger, floral, oak, and new leather. Glenfiddich 21 Grand Reserve Single Malt whisky delivers a smooth, lingering, and rewarding finish. 

Glenfiddich 21 Year Old Reserva Single Malt Scotch Whisky | Caskers

Glenfiddich Single Malt Scotch is made exclusively from malted barley, which is milled and mashed with water sourced from Robbie Dhu spring. The crystal clear spring water, which is bottled directly at the source, is incredibly pure — the distillery purchased 1,200 acres around the spring decades ago in order to protect its unique water supply. After the barley has been mashed, it is fermented in wooden fermentation tanks made of Douglas Fir. 

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Pros and Cons of Glenfiddich 21

Pros

  • An outstanding Single Malt Whiskey produced by William Grant and Sons
  • Matured for 21 Years
  • Made from premium all-natural ingredients
  • Finished in Caribbean Rum Casks
  • A lovely taste of sweet vanilla with undertones of creamy toffee, figs, banana, lime, ginger, floral, oak, and new leather
  • The finish is smooth, lingering, and rewarding.
  • Well-packaged
  • Accessible

Cons

  • Glenfiddich 21 is an exceptional whiskey, but it does come with a hefty price tag. This is not necessarily a con, but it is the only negative to this outstanding whiskey.

What Does Glenfiddich 21 Taste Like?

Glenfiddich 21

Glenfiddich 21 Year Old is a premium whiskey with a unique and complex profile. It delivers all the signature notes associated with Speyside whiskeys, such as sweet vanilla, juicy fruits, and pure honey.

Allowing the Single Malt whisky to finish in hand-picked Caribbean Rum Casks gently infuses spicy and exotic notes of figs, creamy toffee, banana, lime, and ginger. The result is a perfectly balanced and impressive whiskey. The finish is smooth, lingering, and rewarding.

Glenfiddich 21 Year Old Reserva Single Malt Scotch Whisky | Caskers

Glenfiddich Single Malt Scotch is made exclusively from malted barley, which is milled and mashed with water sourced from Robbie Dhu spring. The crystal clear spring water, which is bottled directly at the source, is incredibly pure — the distillery purchased 1,200 acres around the spring decades ago in order to protect its unique water supply. After the barley has been mashed, it is fermented in wooden fermentation tanks made of Douglas Fir. 

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What Does it Look Like?

Glenfiddich 21 Year Old looks as good as it tastes. It looks inviting in the bottle and enticing when poured into a glass. It has a light golden color with a hint of copper and amber. You can see the quality when you hold it up to the light.

The Ingredients

Glenfiddich 21 Year Old Single Malt is made using the finest all-natural ingredients.

Water

Water with high purity levels are essential to produce high-quality whiskey. Glenfiddich and other Speyside Distilleries use natural spring water from the Robbie Dhu spring in every step of producing their single malt. The natural spring runs down a nearby mountain and delivers pure and natural spring water all year round.

Yeast

The Glenfiddich Distillery utilizes liquid yeast in its distillation process. The yeast strain is a family and company secret. Commonly referred to as a Speyside Yeast, this strain is utilized at all three William Grant and Sons distilleries.

Most whiskey producers use a hybrid of distillers and brewers yeast, the hybrid strain ensures a quick fermentation, minimizes foam, and produces delicate aromas.

Malted Barley

Single malt whiskey is made from 100% malted barley. Glenfiddich sources their all-natural barley locally, which is then ground into a coarse flour. The coarse flour is then mixed with heated water from the nearby Robbie Dhu spring, resulting in a brown porridge-like mash.

About the Distillery

Glenfiddich 21

Glenfiddich 21 Year Old Single Malt is produced at the iconic Glenfiddich Speyside Distillery. The distillery was founded in 1886 by William Grant. Along with his nine children, they built the distillery by hand, and it soon became the largest producer of whiskey in the United Kingdom.

In 1963 the company introduced single malt whiskey to the world and was sold in the United States and foreign markets. Glenfiddich was the first whiskey to be presented in tubes and gift tins, and the first to identify the lucrative duty-free market.

Today, Glenfiddich is the highest-selling whiskey on the planet and has received the most international awards than any other whiskey. The distillery currently has 32 spirit stills, with a capacity of 13 000 000 liters.

William Grant and Sons employ over 2600 staff at 48 Global locations and have distilleries in India, Mexico, Iceland, Ireland, Scotland, and the United States.

Glenfiddich 21 Nutritional Information

Glenfiddich 21 Year Old Single Malt is made with premium all-natural ingredients and, if consumed in moderation, can be good for you.

  • Calories: 213
  • Proteins: 0 g
  • Carbohydrates: 0 g
  • Fat: 0 g
  • Saturated Fats: 0 g
  • Total Fat: 0 g

The Packaging

Glenfiddich 21

Glenfiddich 21 is professionally bottled, and it looks both elegant and classy. It is offered in a 750 ml clear glass bottle. The label represents quality and features the infamous Glenfiddich Stag.

The font is white with the background being the golden amber whiskey. It features a 21 Year Old Gold Medal and a cork top to lock in the goodness. Each bottle is presented in a cardboard gift box and is professionally branded.

Where Can You Purchase Glenfiddich 21?

Glenfiddich has an impressive global footprint and can be sourced in almost any country in the world. Glenfiddich 21 Year Old can be purchased from local, regional, and national liquor outlets.

Glenfiddich 21 Year Old can be sourced from regional and national liquor distributors such as Empire Merchants North LLC, Alliance Beverage Distributing, and the Youngs’ Market Company. The most convenient way to purchase Glenfiddich 21 Year Old is online from companies, such as Totalwine.com, Mainespirits.com, and Takealot.com.

Glenfiddich 21 Alternatives

Below are six quality alternatives to Glenfiddich 21:

Tomintoul 14 Year Old

Tomintoul 14 Year Old

Tomintoul 14-year-old is a world-class whiskey produced by the Tomintoul Distillery. The distillery is located on the Glenlivet Estate in the Speyside region of the Scottish highlands. Tomintoul 14-Year-Old delivers lovely notes of rich toffee, juicy fruit, apple blossom, citrus, and freshly baked pastries.

Additional tastes of barley and vanilla are followed by a creamy, spicy, and rewarding finish. Tomintoul 14-year-old whiskey is expertly distilled and offers an Abv of 46% without chill filtering.

Redbreast 12 Year Old

Redbreast 12 Year Old

Redbreast 12-Year-Old is a single-pot Irish whiskey produced by Irish Distilleries in Cork, Ireland. Upfront you get bold aromas of juicy melon, ginger, citrus zest, nuts, and linseed. These aromas are followed by tastes of nuts, spice, citrus, marzipan, and sherry. Tomintoul 14-year-old whiskey delivers a smooth and satisfying finish and offers an Abv of 40%.

Redbreast 12 Year | Drizly

Full of aroma and flavor, Redbreast 12-Year-Old benefits from a strong contribution from distillates that have matured in Oloroso sherry casks, giving it its trademark Christmas cake character.

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Bushmills 21 Year Old

Bushmills 21 Year Old

Bushmills 21 year old is an exquisite Irish whiskey churned out by the Bushmills Distillery in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. This great-tasting whiskey offers lovely aromas of rich toffee, dark mocha, and spicy fruit.

These aromas are followed by delicate tastes of mango, grapes, pecans, and dates. Bushmills 21-year-old delivers an exceptional finish that is sweet and minty and offers an Abv of 40%.

Bushmills 21 Year Single Malt Irish Whiskey | Drizly

Whiskey /40% ABV / Northern Ireland, United Kingdom

Bushmills® 21 is 100% malted barley, tripled-distilled, then aged for 19 years in Bourbon and Oloroso Sherry casks. 

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Glenmorangie 18 Year Old Extremely Rare

Glenmorangie 18 Year Old Extremely Rare

Glenmorangie 18 Year Old Extremely Rare is a single malt whiskey produced by the Glenmorangie Distillery in Ross-Shire, Scotland. The distillery is co-owned by Louis Vuitton and Moët Hennessy. The company boasts the tallest stills in Scotland.

Glenmorangie 18 Year Old is exceptional and delivers powerful aromas of caramel-infused panna cotta, citrus zest, stewed fruits, and freshly ground cinnamon.

It offers flavors of butterscotch, pure honey, tropical fruit, with a hint of creamy Greek yogurt. This single Malt whiskey is smooth and creamy with a long and lingering finish. Glenmorangie 18 Year Old Extremely Rare offers an Abv of 43%.

Glenmorangie 18 Year Old Extremely Rare Single Malt Scotch Whisky | Caskers

Aged for 18 years and finished in Spanish Oloroso sherry casks, this single malt Scotch earned the Double Gold Medal at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition in 2010.


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Jameson Select Reserve

Jameson Select Reserve

Jamesons Select Reserve is a blended whiskey made by Irish Distilleries in County Cork, Ireland. Jameson Select Reserve is one of my favorite whiskeys and offers sweet aromas of creamy toffee, butterscotch, and rich fudge.

These sweet aromas are followed by tastes of vanilla, spice, and nuts. The finish is remarkable with after tastes of vanilla and lightly charred wood. Jameson Select Reserve is silky smooth and offers an Abv of 40%.

Additional Glenfiddich Products

Below are seven additional Glenfiddich products and are amongst some of the finest whiskeys ever produced.

Glenfiddich 1937

Glenfiddich 1937

Glenfiddich 1937 is a rare collection of single malt whiskey and is considered one of the oldest whiskeys in the world. It is exceptionally smooth with interesting tastes of bitter chocolate, freshly chopped oak, cedar dust, molasses, and smokey heather. The finish is rewarding and satisfying and keeps you wanting more.

The 1937 Glenfiddich single malt is a testament to traditional Speyside whiskey and offers an Abv of 40%. Only 51 of these bottles were available for sale and can only be purchased at auction.

Glenfiddich 125th Anniversary Edition

Glenfiddich 125th Anniversary Edition

The 125th Anniversary Edition is a limited-edition whiskey that is only available at select duty-free outlets. It is an exceptional whiskey created by Malt Master Brian Kinsman and offers lovely earthy peat notes, fresh oak, light smoke. Undertones of vanilla and fresh fruits perfectly balance these notes.

The finish is smooth and lingering, with a slight trace of dry smokiness. Glenfiddich 125th Anniversary Edition offers an Abv of 43%.

Glenfiddich Janet Sheed Roberts Reserve

Glenfiddich Janet Sheed Roberts Reserve

Janet Sheed Roberts was the last grandchild of founder William Grant and lived to be the oldest person in Scotland. This Special Reserve Whiskey is a tribute to her and delivers gentle aromas of toasted almonds, violet, orange blossom, and light smoke.

These aromas are followed by delicate tastes of creamy vanilla, sweet oak, and gentle smoke with a slight trace of orange zest. The finish is long lingering yet surprisingly sweet. Glenfiddich Janet Sheed Roberts Reserve offers an Abv of 44,4%.

Glenfiddich 50-Year-Old

Glenfiddich 50-Year-Old

Glenfiddich 50 Year Old is a delicious single malt and is only the second vatting. Glenfiddich 50-Year-Old Single Malt is remarkable for many reasons, but what makes this collection extra special is the fact that it was inspired by the first vatting from just nine casks.

With each cask honoring each of William Grants’ nine children, who assisted him in building the Glenfiddich Distillery by hand. This unique whiskey delivers soft aromas of violets, rose petals, smoky oak, and green tobacco leaf.

It offers tastes of fresh vanilla, creamy toffee, and tart orange marmalade, which is perfectly balanced by after notes of herbs, oak tannin, light smoke, and floral. The finish is long with undertones of earthy peat and dry oak. Glenfiddich 50 Year Old offers an Abv of 46,1%. Only 50 of these bottles are released to the public each year.

Glenfiddich Excellence 26 Year Old

Glenfiddich Excellence 26 Year Old

Excellence is the perfect name for this single malt collection. This rare and aged single malt is matured in ex-bourbon casks for 29 years. Excellence 29-Year-Old collection was created to pay tribute to the ongoing family ownership and leadership at William Grant and Sons.

Glenfiddich Excellence 29 Year Old delivers gorgeous aromas of sweet peas, spring blossom, violets, and floral. These aromas are followed by delicate tastes of fresh vanilla, natural brown sugar, fresh oak, spice, licorice, and dry tannin. The finish is silky smooth and satisfying. Glenfiddich Excellence 26-Year-Old Single Malt offers an Abv of 43%. 

Glenfiddich Excellence 26 Year Old | Caskers

Aged for over a quarter-century exclusively in ex-bourbon casks, this is the newest release from Glenfiddich, one of the most esteemed Speyside distilleries.

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Glenfiddich Snow Phoenix

Glenfiddich Snow Phoenix

Snow Phoenix Single Malt whiskey is a result of weeks of heavy snowfall, which resulted in the collapse of the distillery roof. The collapse exposed and damaged hundreds of maturing casks. The casks were repaired by marrying together casks of different types and ages, including Oloroso Sherry and prized American Oak.

Glenfiddich Snow Phoenix offers elegant aromas of fresh vanilla, soft blossom, juicy pear, and apple. Next, you encounter tastes of roasted apple, pure honey, caramelized sugar, bitter chocolate, and gentle smoke. The finish is long, lingering, and memorable.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Question: What is the Most Expensive Glenfiddich Whiskey?

Answer: The most expensive bottle of Glenfiddich on record is an extremely rare single malt purchased at the Bonhams Whiskey Auction for a whopping $94 000. At that point, this was the third most expensive whiskey ever sold.

The most valuable Glenfiddich bottle of non-auction whiskey (can be purchased from select outlets) is Glenfiddich 50-Year-Old Single Malt which retails for around $35 000 per bottle.

Question: Is Glenfiddich 21 a Good Whiskey?

Answer: Glenfiddich 21 Year Old Grand Reserve is an exquisite single malt that offers authentic Speyside signature notes of creamy malt, sweet vanilla, juicy fruits, and pure honey.

The whiskey is allowed to finish in authentic Caribbean Rum Casks, which infuse it with exotic notes of creamy toffee, fig, bananas, fig, lime, and fresh ginger. Glenfiddich 21 Year Old delivers a finish that is smooth and rewarding.

Question: What Does Glenfiddich Mean?

Answer: Glenfiddich is a premium single malt whiskey produced by William Grant and Son in Dufftown, Scotland. In Scottish Gaelic, Glenfiddich means Valley of the Deer and is pronounced [glen’fidic].

For this reason, the Glenfiddich logo is a stag. The stag and Glenfiddich logos are today one of the most popular and recognized brands in the world.

Question: Which is a Better Whiskey, Glenfiddich or Glenlivet?

Answer: Both are premium whiskeys made with quality all-natural ingredients. Both whiskies exhibit authentic Speyside qualities and deliver exquisite tastes and aromas of floral, grass, and rich malt.

Deciding which whiskey is better comes down to personal preference. Records show that Glenlivet is the best-selling single malt whiskey in the United States and Glenfiddich is the best-selling malt on the planet.

Question: Is Glenfiddich a Sweet Whiskey?

Answer: Glenfiddich and most Speyside whiskies can be thought to be sweet. The sweetness is due to the bold characteristics of rich malt, sweet vanilla, juicy fruits, and pure honey.

Conclusion

Glenfiddich 21 Year Old Grand Reserve is an exceptional whiskey from William Grant and Sons. It is produced at the iconic Glenfiddich Distillery in Dufftown, Scotland. Glenfiddich 21 has been patiently matured for 21 years and then finished in Caribbean Rum Casks.

The whiskey offers the signature Glenfiddich notes such as sweet vanilla, juicy fruits, and pure honey. Finishing the whisky in Caribbean Rum Barrels releases exotic and spicy notes of figs, creamy toffee, banana, lime, and ginger. The finish is smooth, lingering, and rewarding. 

Glenfiddich 21 Year Old Grand Reserve is an exceptional whiskey that should be enjoyed neat, over crushed ice, or on the rocks. It is too good a whiskey to waste on mixers for cocktails. It is expensive compared to mass market whiskeys and therefore falls into a special occasion and celebratory whiskey.

If you enjoy the finer things in life and enjoy drinking premium single malt whiskies, then this Glenfiddich 21-Year-Old is the perfect whiskey for you. I love drinking Glenfiddich 21-Year-old on the rocks (only 2) after having dinner when winding down.

It is a great whiskey to share when celebrating a special occasion with friends and family and makes for an excellent birthday, anniversary, or Christmas gift.

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