🥃 Glenfiddich 18 Year Old Small Batch Reserve
18-year-old single malt Scotch from Glenfiddich in small numbered batches; 40% ABV; 18–20% of the whisky matured in oloroso sherry casks.
Glenfiddich 18 Year Old Small Batch Reserve is an 18-year-old single malt whisky from Speyside, 40% ABV. It is released in small numbered batches, and according to Difford's Guide, the blend contains 18–20% whisky that matured in oloroso sherry casks. It is an older and richer expression than the 12-year-old.
According to Difford's Guide, before bottling the whisky is married in wooden vats for at least three months. Whiskypedia explains the general principle of the brand: the older the age, the larger the share of sherry casks, which add fruitiness and weight without drowning the light character of the spirit. The batches are numbered, so each bottle carries a number.
Why this matters to you. The 18-year-old is the first step towards the sherry side of the brand, so it is worth comparing it with the 12-year-old and the 15 Solera, not only with other brands. The source notes that the age field in the directory is empty, although the name says 18 years, so rely on the label. The WHO reminds us that there is no safe level of alcohol consumption.
Facts
| Legal basis | Scotch Whisky Regulations 2009 (Single Malt Scotch Whisky) |
|---|---|
| Raw material | malted barley |
| Cask type | oak casks; 18–20% of the whisky from oloroso sherry casks |
| Minimum maturation | at least 3 years in oak by law; this expression is 18 years |
| Alcohol (% vol.) | 40% ABV |
How it connects to Spirits
🥃 Glenfiddich 18 Year Old Small Batch Reserve → packed in → 🍷 Oak barrel ← packed in ← 🥃 Spirits
Links
- Packed in
- 🍷 Oak barrel, 🍷 Sherry
- Made from
- 🥃 Barley and malt in whisky
- What it contains
- 🍷 Ethanol
- What it affects
- 🍷 Alcohol and health, 🍷 Drunk driving
- Part of
- 🥃 Glenfiddich, 🥃 Single Malt Scotch Whisky
- Similar and different
- 🥃 Glenfiddich 12 Year Old, 🥃 Glenfiddich 15 Year Old Solera, 🥃 Glenfiddich 12 Year Old, 🥃 Glenfiddich 15 Year Old Solera, 🥃 Glenfiddich 21 Year Old Gran Reserva, 🥃 Glenfiddich Grand Cru 23 Year Old, 🥃 Glenfiddich 21 Year Old Gran Reserva, 🥃 Glenfiddich Grand Cru 23 Year Old, 🥃 The Macallan
Frequently asked questions
Is it true that every bottle of Glenfiddich 18 has a batch number?
Yes. According to Difford's Guide, the whisky is released in small, individually numbered batches.
What share of sherry whisky is in Glenfiddich 18?
According to Difford's Guide, about 18–20%: whisky that matured in oloroso sherry casks.
How long is the blend rested before bottling?
According to Difford's Guide, at least three months in wooden vats.
What to read next
- 🥃 Glenfiddich 12 Year Old — Flagship 12-year-old single malt Scotch from Glenfiddich in Dufftown; 40% ABV; the age statement returned to the label in 2000.
- 🍷 Alcohol and health — Alcohol in any drink is harmful in large amounts, and the risks grow with the quantity.
- 🍷 Ethanol — The alcohol formed during fermentation that makes you drunk.
- 🍷 Oak barrel — A wooden barrel of oak staves in which wine matures and breathes.
- 🥃 The Macallan — Single malt Scotch whisky from Speyside, distillery at Craigellachie licensed in 1824; owned by Edrington.
Similar
🥃 Glenfiddich 15 Year Old Solera · 🥃 Glenfiddich 12 Year Old · 🥃 Glenfiddich 21 Year Old Gran Reserva · 🥃 Glenfiddich Grand Cru 23 Year Old · 🥃 The Macallan Sherry Oak 12 Years Old · 🥃 The Macallan Sherry Oak 18 Years Old
⚠️ Spirit drinks contain alcohol and are for adults only. Alcohol harms health. Do not drink during pregnancy or before driving; check the label for ingredients and possible allergens.
Sources
- Difford's Guide: Glenfiddich 18 Year Old Small Batch Reserve (40 %; small individually numbered batches; 18-20 % ex-oloroso sherry cask whisky; married in wooden tuns at least three months)
- Scotchwhisky.com (Whiskypedia): Glenfiddich (marrying tuns and solera vats; ex-sherry casks in growing share with age; solera pioneered for the 15 year old)
- Difford's Guide: Glenfiddich Distillery (Dufftown, first spirit Christmas Day 1887, William Grant & Sons, range overview)
- The Scotch Whisky Regulations 2009 (SI 2009/2890), reg. 3: definition and categories of Scotch Whisky (Scotland, oak up to 700 l, min. 3 years, min. 40 % ABV)
- WHO/Europe: No level of alcohol consumption is safe for our health (04.01.2023)