Glenfiddich 30 Year Old 'Suspended Time'

Suspended Time is the 30 year old in Glenfiddich's Time Re:Imagined series, and even the packaging plays with the theme, the decanter appearing to float in mid-air within its case. Inside is three decades of Speyside single malt bottled at 43%, matured in a combination of European and American oak with a deliberately higher share of European wood, around 30%, to lend extra spice and depth.

Glenfiddich, in Dufftown, is the most awarded single malt in the world and remains in the hands of William Grant & Sons. Thirty years is well into rarefied territory for the distillery, and this expression trades the bright orchard-fruit of younger Glenfiddich for something darker and more contemplative. The greater proportion of European oak does a lot of the talking.

The nose is beautifully structured, hearty oak married to a gentle sherried sweetness. The palate is deep and woody, laced with delicate floral notes, and layered with oak spice, dried fruit, toasted walnut and soft baking spices, all lifted by heather honey, rose petal, date and dried fig. The finish is warm, honeyed and remarkably long. This is a whisky that unfolds slowly, so give it room. It asks for nothing but time and attention.

Pour it for a quiet celebration, and let the evening slow down around it.

How to Serve

Neat, in a tulip glass, with a good few minutes to breathe. At 43% and thirty years old it is best left undiluted so the oak and honey stay in balance.

Where to Drink It

Dukes Bar in St James's, for the stillness this whisky rewards. The Connaught Bar, to make a moment of it. American Bar at The Savoy, for a touch of grand old occasion.

Food Pairings

Reach for a wedge of aged Comté, the sort with a bit of crystalline crunch, which meets that nutty, honeyed depth head on. A few slices of good cured ham would not go amiss either.