GLENFIDDICH, GRAND CRU, 23 YEAR OLD SINGLE MALT SCOTCH WHISKY

SPEYSIDE, SCOTLAND

When it comes to memorable (dare we say life-changing?) whisky, Glenfiddich comes to mind. Continually innovating and pushing boundaries in terms of age regiments and cask finishes, Glenfiddich has received more awards since 2000 than any other Single Malt Scotch Whisky in two of the world’s most prestigious competitions, the International Wine & Spirit Competition and the International Spirits Challenge. Though the distillery is known for innovation, the quality is consistent. “We don’t do gimmicks,” says sixth generation Glenfiddich Malt Master Brian Kinsman, “if we’re going to do a variant, we make sure […] that what you’ve got is authentic and truly Glenfiddich.” Today is the launch of the newest label to their core range: 23 Year Old Grand Cru Cask, a luxurious whisky aged for almost a quarter century in Glenfiddich’s top casks and finished in re-toasted French Limousin oak barrels that previously housed Champagne’s top cuvées. This is an exciting new release for the single malt category and will be offered at a special Concierge price for one week only before being released to the stores. 
 

Kinsman found inspiration in the splendor and glamour of Champagne to craft this innovative new style of whisky; Grand Cru captures the elegance of Champagne and combines it with the depth and power of Glenfiddich aged single malts. Kinsman hand-selected whisky from 23-year-old American and European oak casks that had achieved stylistic perfection then finished the spirit for six months in French oak casks previously used by Champagne producers for their wines’ primary fermentation. Glenfiddich’s cooperage in Champagne strictly oversees the selection of the casks, the provenance of which is a closely guarded secret given the rarity of the casks themselves and the incredible difficulty in procuring them. 
 

The influence of the Champagne casks is certainly not lost in this whisky, but the power of Glenfiddich malts prevails. It’s opulent and decadent with rich intensity of flavor that’s surprisingly fresh for a whisky with this age statement. Though this whisky will be an addition to the core Glenfiddich range, it’s still produced in small quantities (23-year-old whisky!), and the United States is getting a mere 0.05% of global production. We’re thrilled this whisky has finally arrived and that we’re able to present the opportunity to our Concierge customers to be among the very first to procure Glenfiddich Grand Cru Cask.