Glenfiddich Pure Malt 86 US Proof No Box Old Version 100 cl Whisky 43%

The stag on the label still looks out over the Fiddich valley, just as it has for decades. Behind it stands a green, three-sided bottle holding a full litre of Speyside whisky from the days when Glenfiddich still printed Pure Malt across the front.

Expert description

Glenfiddich Special Old Reserve Pure Malt is a Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky matured in oak casks and bottled at 43%.

This is an older litre bottle, and it has been discontinued. The label says the whisky was distilled and bottled at The Glenfiddich Distillery by William Grant & Sons, that the distillery was established in 1887, and that the family has now been making it for five generations. The back label calls it a Single Malt Whisky matured on Speyside and translates the name: Glenfiddich means Valley of the Deer in Gaelic.

There is no age statement, and the label says nothing about the casks beyond oak. The style is classic light Speyside. Pear and apple sit on top, malt and honey underneath, and the oak stays in the background with a little vanilla and spice.

Pure Malt stayed on the front until Glenfiddich dropped the wording in 2000. The triangular bottle shape dates from the late 1950s, and in 1963 Glenfiddich was among the first to sell single malt as a brand in its own right.

Tasting notes

Nose

Ripe pear and crisp apple first, then malt and a honeyed sweetness. Older bottles can carry a dusty note in the background, and a few tasters pick up creamy butterscotch and a little coconut.

Palate

Soft and light-bodied. Apple and pear carry on, joined by vanilla, malt and a sharp prick of fresh ginger. The sweetness is bright and fruity rather than heavy.

Finish

Medium in length and dry, with a little oak, honey and a faint creaminess. Some bottlings leave a light liquorice edge.

Specifications

Name: Glenfiddich Special Old Reserve Pure Malt 100 cl
Distillery: Glenfiddich
Region/Country: Speyside, Scotland
Type: Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky
ABV: 43%
Size: 100 CL
Cask type: Oak casks
Edition: Special Old Reserve Pure Malt
EAN no.: 5010327000299

Flavour profile

Fruity · Light · Malty · Honeyed

Did you know?

The label gives Banffshire as the distillery's address, but Dufftown now falls under Moray. The address on the bottle is older than the map.

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Frequently asked questions about Glenfiddich Special Old Reserve Pure Malt

What is Glenfiddich Special Old Reserve Pure Malt?

It is an older Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky from Glenfiddich, bottled as a full litre at 43%. The bottle has been discontinued and carries no age statement. It comes from the period when Glenfiddich still labelled its whisky Pure Malt, and it was distilled and bottled at the distillery by William Grant & Sons.

Is Pure Malt the same as Single Malt?

On this bottle, yes. The back label calls the whisky a Single Malt Whisky, and Pure Malt was Glenfiddich's own wording for it until 2000. It comes from one distillery, like every single malt.

What does Glenfiddich Special Old Reserve taste like?

Light and fruity, with pear and apple up front. Behind them come malt, honey and vanilla, and the finish is medium and dry with a little oak. Older bottles can show a dusty note that comes with the age.

Why is the bottle one litre?

Most likely because it was made for export or travel retail. The label reads 1.00 Litre, and the strength is printed as both 43% and 86 US proof.

How old is the bottle?

The exact bottling year cannot be read from the label. Older litre bottles with this label are usually placed in the 1980s or 1990s, and the whisky itself carries no age statement.

How should I serve and store an older bottle?

Pour it neat or with a few drops of water at room temperature in a Glencairn glass, and keep the ice in the freezer so the light fruit notes are not drowned out. Store the bottle upright, in the dark and somewhere cool, so the cork does not dry out. See our selection of whisky glasses.

What does Glenfiddich mean, and where is the distillery?

Glenfiddich means Valley of the Deer in Gaelic, and the distillery sits in Dufftown on Speyside. It was founded by William Grant in 1887 and is still family-owned.