Esteemed Scottish whisky distillery Glenfiddich has just announced the latest iteration of its Grand Series, Grand Château. The limited-edition bottle blends two separate luxury worlds into one as the whisky has been aged for an extended period in red wine casks from France’s Bordeaux region.
First matured traditionally in American oak before being transferred to and finished for nine years in the Bordeaux casks, in total this new release has been aged for 31 years. It’s the final nine years that make this new liquid truly unique, adding cherry and apple notes that combine with a warming spice, providing both fruity and floral flavors.
As a part of the Glenfiddich Grand Series, this new limited edition release takes its inspiration from the unexpected combination of a single malt with cultures from around the world. Glenfiddich Grand Château connects the rolling hills of Scotland’s Speyside region to the wonderous terroir of Bordeaux.
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“Bordeaux red wine casks are incredibly versatile sources of flavor and recognized widely for their outstanding quality, providing the perfect opportunity for experimentation to develop a profound spirit,” said Glenfiddich malt master, Brian Kinsman.
“Nine years spent cocooned in these extraordinary Bordeaux red wine casks results in an exceptionally vibrant liquid which intensifies Glenfiddich’s classic fruity character balanced somewhat unusually with notes of deep oak and warming vanilla. Although wine is becoming an increasingly popular choice for maturation within the single malt category, it remains relatively rare to see whiskies finished in a Bordeaux red wine cask, making this an incredibly intriguing and collectible bottling.”
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This new limited edition release from Glenfiddich also pays homage to the arts through French street artist André Saraiva, who not only designed the interior packaging for Grand Château, but has also altered 250 of the classic Toile De Jouy display boxes. These exclusive display boxes, entitled ‘The Artist’s Edition’ feature Saraiva’s iconic character ‘Mr.A,’ selecting one of the Bordeaux casks.
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“The addition of Grand Château to The Glenfiddich portfolio, experimenting with flavor combinations and an extended finishing period, establishes our position as a brand that continues to push the boundaries of whisky making,” said Glenfiddich global brand director, Claudia Falcone. “Grand Château allows us to explore the collision of different cultures, whilst taking luxury to new heights.”
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Glenfiddich Grand Château is the latest iteration of the distilleries Grand series, which has spanned the globe from Japan with the 29 Year Old Grand Yozakura, to Spain with the 22 Year Old Grand Cortes, which is finished in rare Palo Cortado sherry casks.
This brand-new limited edition release is available from luxury whisky retail outlets and is priced at $2,220.
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