Glenfiddich 125th Anniversary Edition
William Grant built our distillery in the Glen of Fiddich, Gaelic for Valley of the Deer. On Christmas Day 1887, the first spirit ran from the copper stills. Since that day, William Grant’s self-belief and pioneering spirit have always been at the heart of what sets our whisky apart. Successive generations have continued to maintain his drive and determination, and this Glenfiddich honours the day one man’s dream became a reality 125 years ago.
In 1887, when the first Glenfiddich spirit flowed from the stills, our barley was traditionally malted in kilns at the distillery over furnaces fuelled with dried local peat, infusing it with a unique smokiness. This peat would have been cut by hand in the Cabrach, near the family croft. The spirit was distilled in small batches, in unusually small second-hand stills, before being casked and sold cask strength and non-chill filtered to eager locals. Brian Kinsman, only our sixth Glenfiddich Malt Master in 125 years has carefully crafted a unique Glenfiddich single malt Scotch whisky using whiskies made with traditional techniques begun by William Grant in 1887. The unusual depth and smokiness found in this whisky are a result of the unique marriage of peated Glenfiddich whiskies matured mainly in American oak casks.This limited Edition single malt Scotch whisky was created by our Malt Master to reflect 125 years of pioneering spirit at the Glenfiddich Distillery.
Tasting Notes
Inspired by the Malt Masters before him, including our founder, Brian Kinsman has carefully and skilfully reinterpreted the Glenfiddich Speyside style of William Grant’s day.
- Nose – A rich aroma with an abundance of fresh fruit notes, zesty marmalade and spice all enveloped in peat smoke.
- Taste – A deep, oaky flavour with rich vanilla oak notes intertwined with a complex smoky character. Smoked fruits and woody spices.
- Finish – Rich with a lingering, slightly dry smokiness.
- Colour – Golden barley
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The Balvenie 40 YO Single Malt Scotch Whisky
The Balvenie Forty has seen Malt Master David Stewart put his five decades of skilled experience to fine use by marrying together small amounts of aged Balvenie from six casks to create the seventh unique batch of this rare expression. Each of the casks selected for this bottling – three American oak casks and three sherry butts – have lain in The Balvenie’s warehouses for at least forty years. The individual contents of each cask have been married together in a barrel for around three months, creating a single malt full of The Balvenie’s signature flavours. The Balvenie is dedicated to the five rare crafts that are used to create The Balvenie’s distinctive taste. It is the only distillery that still grows its own barley, uses traditional floor maltings and keeps both coppersmiths and coopers on site – making The Balvenie the most handcrafted of malts. Having coopers on site at the distillery allows David Stewart to work closely with them to make new types of wood finishes.
Commenting on the release of The Balvenie Aged 40 Years, David Stewart said: “The appeal of The Balvenie’s rare whiskies that have aged for an extensive period such as 40 years is down to the extraordinary flavours they develop from such a long time in the casks. This 40-year-old single malt is no exception, with deep intensely fruity notes on the nose giving way to hints of vanilla and oak. The characteristic honeyed sweetness of The Balvenie is evident on taste, with spice and oak also prevalent. It really is a pleasure working with these old whiskies and crafting them together is a challenge I always relish.” In 2012, David Stewart marked his 50th year at The Balvenie Distillery – a remarkable achievement in any profession. During his career at The Balvenie, David Stewart has become one of the most respected craftsmen in the Scotch whisky industry – his commitment to retaining traditional techniques as well as championing ground-breaking processes such as consecutive maturation in two different types of cask has earned him some of the industry’s most notable accolades.
Tasting notes
- Nose – Deep, intensely fruity, yet fragrantly floral. Notes of dried apricots, orange peel and ginger spices mingle with hints of vanilla and well-balanced oak.
- Taste – Orange blossom, candied ginger and nutmeg emerge through honeyed sweetness, followed by oak, a delicate nuttiness and sweet vanilla notes.
- Finish – Elegant with a honeyed and citrus richness.
The Ardbog Ardbeg
Bottled at a strength of 52.1% and balanced with softer sweeter casks to create a dram of great depth and peaty complexity.
- Colour – deep ochre
- Nose – deep, enticing waves of pecan nuts, salty toffee and caramels, with a distinct whiff of herbs, lavender and violets. Soft, aromatic smoke is interwoven with salty savoury notes. Water brings forth herbal notes, smoked rhubarb and aged balsamic vinegar.
- Taste – a full oily/tingly mouthfeel leads into a powerful, savoury burst of flavours – salted cashews and peanuts, clove, aniseed toffee, green olives and a curious hint of anchovy. A lingering aftertaste in which classic Ardbeg sweetness is kept in check by oak tannins, clove and coffee grounds.
