Nose: Vanilla, apple, pear, citrus, light floral honey, buttery malt. There is a slight nip of alcohol when neat but this dissipates with time in the glass, and even more quickly if you add a drop or two of water. The nose is a shade maltier than I remember it being in the past. Palate: Sweet, soft and fruity arrival all on apples and pears. Sweet malt shows through in the development and there is a hint of barrel char. The texture is very good being creamy, slightly oily and full. As with the nose this whisky can take a dash of water even though it is only a 40% abv expression. It’s the oiliness of the texture that makes it stand up to dilution. Finish: Short. Creamy and mildly fruity with pears and a hint of mint in the aftertaste. I last reviewed Glenfiddich 12 here on Distiller eight years ago and that was the last bottle I had until opening this one (which was a gift). The label has changed so I’m posting this review under the new Distiller listing but as far as I can tell from memory and looking at my old review this whisky is essentially the same 12 year old that Glenfiddich has been making for decades. It’s a great all round whisky that needs to make no apologies. Critics of this expression just don’t get it and in all honesty if I had to choose a desert island single malt it would probably be this. Seriously. I think a steady diet of any one premium whisky would become tiresome after a while but I could drink Glenfiddich 12 like water every day for the rest of my life without getting tired of it. I’m increasing my previous rating by one percentage point. This is, quite simply, “good” whisky that is sold at a very reasonable price and is universally available. “Good” : 83/100 (3.5 stars)