Glenfiddich, the world’s most awarded single malt Scotch whisky, has once again reaffirmed its place at the pinnacle of luxury whisky innovation with a suite of wins at the 2025 International Wine & Spirit Competition (IWSC). Founded in Dufftown, Scotland, by William Grant, the family-owned distillery has grown to become one of the most recognized single malt scotch brands across the globe for its pioneering spirit.
“From pioneering techniques to crafting rare, collectable masterpieces, Glenfiddich continues to push the boundaries of what single malt whisky can be,” comments Jamie Johnson, National Brand Ambassador for Glenfiddich in Canada. “It is within the world of Glenfiddich that a century of innovation and tradition meet, inspiring us to create expressions that stand apart and continue to earn recognition year after year.”
Founded in 1969, the International Wine & Spirit Competition (IWSC) is the world’s most respected global wine and spirits community. Its mission is to champion quality and innovation, celebrating producers who shape the future of wines and spirits on the international stage. Among its 21 accolades at the 2025 competition, Glenfiddich’s newly released 31 Year Old Grand Château and Glenfiddich 30 Year Old Time Series were awarded Gold Outstanding medals recognizing their unrivalled quality. Glenfiddich 15 Year Old and Glenfiddich Gran Reserva 21 Year Old were also awarded Gold medals for their impeccable taste profiles.
GOLD OUTSTANDING: EXPRESSIONS BEYOND COMPARE
The Glenfiddich 31 Year Old Grand Château marks the most recent addition to Glenfiddich’s remarkable Grand Series, offering a rare and unique single malt that showcases an unexpected marriage of two luxury worlds. Glenfiddich Grand Chateau marks the first time the historic distillery has used red wine casks from the famous Bordeaux wine region.
Grand Chateau is matured for 22 years in American and European oak before being finished in exceptional red wine casks from the Bordeaux wine region for an extended finishing period of 9 years. The whisky reveals a refined fusion of flavours rich with caramelized cherry and apple, intertwined with warming spice and toasted oak.
The Glenfiddich 30 Year Old Time Series is an arresting interpretation of time itself. The coveted bottling embodies the concept of “Suspended Time,” a nod to the moment when Glenfiddich’s Malt Master suspends the development of the whisky with the definitive decision to bottle, capturing the liquid at a precise moment in time after a patient three decades of maturation.
Rich bronze in colour, the Glenfiddich 30 is an exquisitely structured balance of hearty oak married with sweet, subtle sherry notes, deep, woody flavours interlaced with delicate floral accents with a warm, honeyed and exceptionally long-lasting finish. Corked in sculptural, expressive packaging, it captures the anticipation of three decades in a single, extraordinary bottle.
GOLD: ICONS OF INNOVATION
The Glenfiddich 21 Year Old Gran Reserva is awarded Gold in recognition of its indulgent profile, transforming uncommon into unequalled. Patiently mellowed for 21 years in Scotland, Gran Reserva is rich with Glenfiddich Distillery DNA. Finished in Caribbean Reserva rum casks adding sharp ginger, sultry fig and uplifting lime notes. On the palate, the single malt is initially soft, then brisk, vibrant and drying with pepper, a touch of smoke, oak, lime, ginger and spices. The energetic flavours lead into a long, warming and spicy finish. A whisky that redefines expectation, Reserva epitomizes Glenfiddich’s mastery of cask finishing.
The Glenfiddich 15 Year Old, a modern icon of the category, also received Gold for its vibrant interplay of stone fruits and warming spice, as recorded by the IWSC judges.
Exemplifying Glenfiddich’s family’s tradition of innovation, the Glenfiddich 15 Year Old expression is created using a solera VAT technique, pioneered by the Malt Master. never emptied and kept half full of whiskies since 1998, Glenfiddich’s solera process is the culmination of curious minds and the pioneering spirit of the family. The single malt is silky smooth with layers of sherry oak, marzipan, cinnamon and ginger, bursting with flavour.
In addition to Glenfiddich’s success, parent company William Grant & Sons earned an impressive 8 Gold, 34 Silver, and 31 Bronze medals across its acclaimed portfolio, including celebrated brands The Balvenie and Monkey Shoulder.
To learn more about the world of Glenfiddich globally, please visit www.glenfiddich.com.
TASTING NOTES:
GLENFIDDICH 15 YEAR OLD
Colour: Golden with a red hue.
Nose: An intriguingly complex aroma. Sweet heather honey and vanilla fudge combined with rich dark fruits.
Taste: Silky smooth, revealing layers of sherry oak, marzipan, cinnamon and ginger. Full-bodied and bursting with flavour.
Finish: Satisfyingly rich with lingering sweetness.
GLENFIDDICH GRAN RESERVA
Colour: Dark Gold
Nose: Intense and vanilla-sweet, floral with hints of banana, figs, rich toffee, new leather and oak
Taste: Initially soft, then brisk, vibrant and drying. Features peppery spice, a touch of smoke, oak, lime, ginger and exotic spices
Finish: Very long, warming, dry and spicy
GLENFIDDICH 30 YEAR OLD
Colour: Rich Bronze
Nose: A finely balanced expression with substantial oakiness, complemented by fruit and luscious sherry notes
Taste: Complex and seductively woody, accentuated by a floral sweetness
Finish: Exceedingly long, honeyed, and warm
GLENFIDDICH GRAND CHATEAU
Colour: Distinctive reddish hue
Nose: Warm cocooning vanilla slowly unveils fruity, floral notes of beautifully ripe cassis berries and piquant nutty aromas
Taste: Indulgent and rich, flavours of slowly caramelized cherries and apples intertwine with unmistakable warming spice and toasted oak
Finish: Everlasting depth and character