Glenfiddich's Experimental Series has been one of the more interesting moves from a distillery that, let's be honest, sometimes gets overlooked by enthusiasts chasing smaller names. Project XX — that's Roman numerals for twenty, not a mysterious code — lands at 47% ABV with no age statement, and at £56.25 it sits in that mid-range sweet spot where you expect a whisky to actually deliver something worth talking about.
What draws me to this bottle is the concept itself. The Experimental Series exists to push Glenfiddich outside its comfort zone, and Project XX is built around collaboration — twenty individuals each selecting a cask, with the final blend marrying those choices together. That's a lot of voices in one bottle, which could go either way. The fact that it works as well as it does says something about the blending skill behind it.
At 47% ABV, this has been bottled at a strength that gives it genuine presence without being aggressive. For a NAS release, that's a smart call. Too many no-age-statement whiskies try to hide behind lower proof or excessive sweetness, but the higher strength here suggests confidence in the liquid. You're getting a Speyside whisky that doesn't apologise for itself.
Tasting Notes
I don't have detailed tasting notes to break down for this one, but based on the style and category, here's what you should expect. This is a Speyside at heart — think approachable, fruit-forward, with the kind of malty backbone Glenfiddich is known for. The experimental blending of multiple cask types means you're likely getting layers that a standard expression wouldn't offer. The 47% ABV will carry those flavours with a bit more weight and texture than the typical 40% bottling. If you've had other Glenfiddich expressions, expect something familiar but noticeably more complex.
The Verdict
At 7.7 out of 10, Project XX earns its place as a genuinely interesting bottle. It's not trying to reinvent whisky — it's trying to show what happens when you let creative decisions into a process that's usually quite rigid. The price is fair for what you're getting: a well-constructed Speyside at a decent strength with more going on than the average shelf-filler. Is it the most groundbreaking whisky I've ever had? No. But it's well made, it's interesting, and it rewards you for paying attention. That's more than I can say for a lot of bottles at this price point.
Where it really succeeds is as a conversation starter. This is the bottle you bring to a tasting night when someone says all Speyside whiskies taste the same. It won't change anyone's life, but it might change their mind about what a big distillery can do when it loosens the reins a bit.
Best Served
Pour this neat in a Glencairn and give it five minutes to open up — the 47% ABV benefits from a little air. If you want to add water, just a few drops will do; don't drown it. For a cocktail serve, this works beautifully in a Whiskey Sour. The fruit-forward Speyside character plays brilliantly against fresh lemon juice and a touch of sugar syrup. Shake it hard with egg white if you want that silky texture. The extra strength means it won't get lost behind the citrus the way a 40% bottling might. It's a versatile bottle — equally at home sipped slowly or shaken with ice.
