ABERFELDY 18 YEAR SANGIOVESE CASK FINISH
SINGLE MALT SCOTCH WHISKY
HIGHLANDS, SCOTLAND
WHY BUY:
Aberfeldy is a virtuoso when it comes to secondary maturation, and all it takes is one slow, lingering sip of this gorgeous, limited-edition 18 Year Old, finished in wood that first held Sangiovese, to see what a cask master can achieve. The base is the Aberfeldy we all know and love, that honeyed single malt of incomparable smoothness, but given a lustrous varnish of Tuscan refinement and the time to fully become itself. Impossible to resist. Impossible to put down. And folks: at $89 and with an age statement like this, it’s the kind of opportunity that doesn’t come around very often.
WHAT THEY'RE SAYING:
It’s almost ridiculous, the shelfloads of hardware this Highland stalwart has accumulated over the years, including more than 200 Gold Medals in international competitions. And then there’s the honors that the venerated Master Blender Stephanie MacLeon has accrued, among them five Master Blender of the Year awards (one from Whisky Magazine), and four consecutive wins from the International Whisky Competition.
OUR TASTING NOTES:
First impression: those cherries are everywhere, deeply ripe and almost jammy, but with enough acidity to keep them from taking over entirely. Red plums emerge next, alongside something that tastes distinctly like candied orange peel —the kind you'd come across in a bespoke Italian pastry shop — and … is that violets? Delightfully strange, you think, until you remember that the best Sangiovese itself often give off a delicate floral perfume. All the while, the honeyed Aberfeldy character holds steady beneath. And then, just when you thought the thing was done revealing itself … then comes clove, like the faint but rising sound of a gong in the background of a symphony. The note builds gradually, eventually joining with other notes, of vanilla and toasted oak, to carry you smoothly, so smoothly, to the lightly sweet, wonderfully soft finish.
THE STORY:
Aberfeldy earned its "golden dram" reputation through decades of producing honeyed Highland single malts, but the distillery's recent evolution under Stephanie MacLeod has transformed what was already excellent into something truly exciting. MacLeod is as lettered as they come in the business (she has won Master Blender of the Year from Whisky Magazine, plus racked up four consecutive wins at the International Whisky Competition), and she uses her authority to push Aberfeldy in directions that are both daring and adventurous but also respectful of tradition. Her approach to secondary maturation requires the kind of patience and precision that separates competent blenders from genuine artists. For this limited edition, she selected first-fill Sangiovese casks from Tuscany's Valdarno di Sopra region, allowing the 18-year-old spirit to spend a full year absorbing the wine's rich, fruity character. The technique might seem simple in concept, but, as with so much else in the world that’s great, extraordinarily difficult to pull off: too little time and the influence remains superficial; too much, and the whisky loses itself entirely. MacLeod, not surprisingly, always finds the happy medium.
FUN FACT:
"The golden dram" nickname isn't just poetic license; it actually refers to Aberfeldy's water source, Pitilie Burn, which contains literal gold deposits that contribute to the whisky's distinctive character.
OUR GUARANTEE:
As always, we source directly from the distillery to ensure that your bottles arrive as they should, and as you deserve: with pristine provenance guaranteed. Secure yours today!
*Offer NOT valid in-store. This offer is made pre-arrival, with wines estimated to be delivered to your preferred store in Winter 2026 (Dec. 21, 2026 - Mar. 20, 2027). All sale prices are the lowest available at Total Wine & More and ONLY valid through Concierge Sales. No further discounts or coupons may be applied. The price reflected on your order form is subject to change after the order is placed in the event of a change in tariffs or taxes that are imposed by the U.S. government, or in the case of currency fluctuations of 10% or greater. Offer not valid in IN, KS, KY, LA, MI, MN, NC, NY, OK, TN, VA, WA, & WI. This offer will expire on Sunday, May 31, 2026.