For several years now Glenfiddich has been releasing an experimental series, the Glenfiddich Fire and Cane is the fourth and latest release in that series which employs peated Glenfiddich and rum casks for its creation. Peated Glenfiddich is rather rare, but they did a release a few years back and rum casks are used in the 21 years Reserva. However, this is the first time they’ve put the two together.
The Glenfiddich Vintage Peated is one of my favorite releases done by Glenfiddich and them resurrecting it and then finishing it in rum casks is super exciting. It’s something I’ve been hoping they’d for quite a while; at least the resurrecting the peated Glenfiddich part. The rum cask wasn’t even a thought till now… and with that on to the review.
Glenfiddich Fire and Cane Review: Details and Tasting Notes
In Glenfiddich’s Words: Glenfiddich Fire and Cane
Glenfiddich Fire & Cane is a bold fusion of smoky and sweet notes. By marrying peated whisky and malts matured in bourbon barrels, and then finishing in Latin rum casks, we created an exquisite whisky with campfire smokiness and toffee sweetness.
Glenfiddich Fire and Cane price, ABV, age and other details
Region: Highlands, Scotland
Distiller: Glenfiddich
Mash Bill: 100% Malted Barley
Cask: ex-Bourbon and ex-Rum
Age: NAS
ABV: 43%
Batch: 04 (experimental)
Price: $50*
Glenfiddich Fire and Cane Tasting Notes
EYE
Medium amber
NOSE
Peat, toffee, spice, malt, complex sweetness (candy and fruit) and light bits of vanilla, graham and cocoa.
PALATE
Dry oak smoke, malt, candy sweetness, fruit and some honey, char and floral soapy notes.
FINISH
Long – Peat, caramel, char, spice, sweetness and soap.
BALANCE, BODY & FEEL
Good balance, medium body and soft velvety feel.
Glenfiddich Fire and Cane Review: OVERALL
It has a complex and layered aroma, a palate that’s on par with it and a finish that is great until the soap notes on the tail end kick up. On the whole, I enjoy the Glenfiddich Fire and Cane; I like the sweet and smoky combo and it hearkens back to the old Glenfiddich Vintage Reserve Peated release which I love. If it didn’t have that soap note it would be KILLER.
This is a release I would LOVE to try at full cask strength and non-chill filtered. I bet the oiliness of it would amp this up several notches and possibly cover or reduce the soapy notes. Cask Strength Glenfiddich is great and peated Glenfiddich is great so it only makes sense the combo would also be great. Let’s hope they’re listening. ;)
SCORE: 87/100 (B+)
*Disclosure: This Glenfiddich Fire and Cane was graciously sent to me by the company for the purposes of this review. The views, opinions, and tasting notes are 100% my own.
Glenfiddich Fire and Cane Review 50
Glenfiddich Fire and Cane Review Summary
Glenfiddich Fire and Cane is a wonderful blend of smoke and sweet.
Overall
- Nose - 88
- Palate - 87
- Finish - 87
- Balance, Body & Feel - 87
User Review
( votes)
PS: It was the Craigellachie 13, and no I have not yet opened the Smokehead Rum Rebel.
I am not a fan of Glenfiddich. It is almost characterless. Once, when at someones place, I got to taste the 12, 15, and 18. It was only when I got to the 18 did I raise an eyebrow. Learning that the Fire and Cane was a peated Glenfiddich, a pretty rare thing, I felt compelled to put it into my most recent Zoom tasting – 14 people tasting 14 scotches. Surprise, surprise, it was among the top three favourites in scoring along with the Talisker 10 and the Compass Box Spice Tree, with the Craigellachie not far behind. I was also impressed.
Recently I noticed a new Smokehead release called Rum Rebel which is a secret Islay malt finished in rum casks. Almost immediately I bought a bottle hoping to experience something similar to the Fire and Cane but with a little more oomph because the Rum Rebel is 46% and non-chill filtered.
Nice, I’m glad you liked it Mahmoud, and I hope you like the Rum Rebel. I have a sample of that around here somewhere I need to get to soon and try it too. cheers!
I’ve been a scotch drinker for over 50 years i like all glenfiddich scotch but fire & cane to much of a smokey after taste i gave up smoking 4o years ago.cheers GLENN.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts, cheers Glenn!
Mouthwash, fake smoke, antiseptic spray with a hint of soap
Some people love it, but to others it tastes like a bottle of liquid smoke was dumped into a 1$ bottle of mouthwash and finished with an antiseptic spray from the dentist. You’ve been warned.
I forgot I had a bottle of this laying around and decided to pour a glass the other night. My advice is to not let this whisky sit in the bottle for too long, something went wrong between the time I let it sit at the last quarter of a bottle to the other night. It was a really off putting chemical aftertaste that was almost harsh which was a shame because I remember liking this bottle it just got overshadowed by other whiskies I had at the time.
When it was a fresh bottle I would have given it an 80/100 but the taste from last night was like a 40/100.
Sounds like oxygen is not this whisky’s friend. I enjoyed it while I had mine too. Cheers Pyrrhus!
My wife bought a bottle of this and she said the finish reminds her of a cough syrup. So I tried some of her glass and got that weird kind of finish also. On Saturday I gave this another try over some ice, I just can’t get over the finish of this. Prefer just the 12 year old. Glad to see we weren’t the only ones complaining. Would not recommend this
Thanks for sharing your experience Joseph. Cheers!
No idea what many are going on about regards soap. Not a bubble tasted here. There’s a lovely smoke and peat flavor with sweet dancing around the edges, trying to mingle but not quite making it in. The perfect dram for the cold weather months.
I didn’t get the soap either till the bottle was nearly empty. Then I got some hints, but for the majority of the whisky, I didn’t get any either and agree it was a great cold-weather whiskey. Cheers David.
I seldom can taste all the different ones experts experience. But Fire and Cane is a first≥. Absolutely horrible. Even I was hit with this bar of soap blast. Thought it was me until I read all these comments. Waste of $60 and a blow to Glenfidish reputation.
Cheers Tom!
No hater here!
Clearly I am uneducated about the finer nuances of scotch, only keeping at least a dozen bottles of scotch in my cupboard at any given time because I absolutely love this scotch! As it is an “experimental” batch I am planning on going back to the store where I purchased this to see how many bottles I can buy to keep in reserve. This scotch seems to me to be the perfect balance between smoky and sweet, with delicious undertones of honey and fruit. The smokiness is clean on the palate, not biting. I just want more!
Awesome, glad you’re loving it Kurt. Thanks for sharing, cheers!
Lighter fluid
So I have to agree with some of the comments and my husband hates me for saying this… because he loves it… but I can’t handle the smell or taste! There is a manufactured smell that is repulsive! My husband is glaring at me, and I might not be the most refined, but I’d take lighter fluid over fire and cane.
Hahaha, love everything about this. Thank you for sharing, cheers!
A truly horrible malt. Up there with some of the worst I’ve ever tasted. And to make it even worse the finish lasts forever. It’s overly smoky with a chemical aftertaste like that of diet soda. No idea how they rate this an 87. On the plus side it actually makes a decent mule.
To each their own, I love those petrol, oily smoky profiles. Cheers B :)
Formaldehyde & Cane Maybe
Agreed. I bought a bottle of Fire & Cane because I had yet to find a Glenfiddich that treated me poorly. I usually drink scotch neat or with a single ice cube, but I have a difficult time choking this stuff down even with a Diet Coke mixer. Would not recommend. Definitely taste the chemical/soap flavor people keep referring to. I now have a $60 bottle of bad cooking wine though, so it’s not a complete waste I suppose.
Soooo much soap. I was going to contact the company with the bottle code, letting them know they had a contaminated batch, but then I read this. Good Lord, maybe I’m just hypersensitive to soap, but to me this is one of the worst drinks I’ve ever had.
Thanks for sharing. I didn’t get much soap, but I’ll revisit soon. Cheers!
Horrible
I am shocked to see so many people loving this stuff. It tastes like someone left a Slim Jim sitting in a glass of scotch for hours, then gave it a real good & long final swizzle. We’ve been making visitors try it so everyone can have a laugh at the inevitable reaction of disgust and horror.
Interesting, I get no beef jerky/meat stick notes out of it. TO each their own ;) Cheers!
I have had the IPA and the Project XX, but the clear winner here is the Fire and Cane for me. I don’t usually go for peat or heavy smoke, but this does it for me. I enjoy every thing about this. Even my wife (who hates scotch) appreciates the flavor of this. I have all three bottles, and in order its the Fire & Cane, IPA, and then the Project XX. I was actually disappointed in the Project XX; I thought it was going to blow me away. It had some soft vanilla notes that were pleasing, but dropped off rapidly. The FIRE & CANE carried a consistent flavor and is a must bottle in my house!
Awesome, thanks for sharing Stats! Cheers!