Glenfiddich 12 yr Solera Reseve

My father was given a bottle of this a year or so ago, and swore it was the best whisky he'd ever tasted. For his birthday I went on the Glenfiddich website, and got him a bottle of what I thought was the same - 12yr old, made in Solera barrels, but no sign of the word "Reserve" on the bottle... Father gratefully accepted the gift, but after tasting, said that "it's very very nice, but not quite the same". Me being worse than a novice when it comes to whisky, I thought I'd ask you fine forum users, can anyone shed any light on this matter? Or was his mind playing tricks when he couldn't see "Reserve" on the label?