Celebrating style, substance & innovation
The Gran Reserva 21 YO offering makes for a fascinating story. The Caribbean rum finish rouses a vibrant, spicy warmth in the whisky and draws out soft yet lively fruity notes on the palate. Adding an innovative final production method is testament to Glenfiddich’s continued quest for perfection, says Brian Kinsman, Malt Master – Glenfiddich.
Brian Kinsman is very pleased that Gran Reserva 21 YO is now being launched in the Indian market. The Malt Master describes calls the Gran Reserva 21 a fascinating story, which is made out of marriage of Glenfiddich matured in American and European oak casks. The target flavour profile exudes sweet, vanilla, toffee, and the distiller’s mostly used American oak with just a small amount of European oak sherry casks to add some complexity and mouth feel.
“Once the whisky is married together it is then filled into ex-Caribbean rum casks for a further 3 to 4 months. The finishing period adds more sweetness and accentuates the fruity character in the Glenfiddich expression,” he elaborates.
Sweet Expression
Going into further details, he asserts, “Glenfiddich 21YO is arguably the sweetest expression in our range and this is achieved through the age, the high percentage of American oak and the rum cask finish.” The whisky has been lying down for 21 years in the warehouse, which leads to a remarkably intense flavour. The liquid is infused with further complexity during its final few months before its arrival in the market.
“The Caribbean rum finish rouses a vibrant, spicy warmth within the whisky and draws out soft yet lively fruity notes on the palate,” he adds. Adding an innovative final production method is testament to Glenfiddich’s continued quest for perfection. “The rum finish gives the liquid extra layers of intensity and an extraordinary twist that truly sets the 21 Year Old apart from other whiskies,” Brian gushes forth.
Unique Finishing
The 21-Year-Old expression is the only Glenfiddich single malt to undergo this unique finishing in Gran Reserva casks that once contained premium Caribbean rum, which was specially imported to The Glenfiddich Distillery.
The rum is blended to the Speyside distiller’s secret recipe from several tropical Caribbean islands to awaken distinctive notes of ginger, lime and banana within the rich smoothness of the patiently mellowed 21-Year-Old.
Bottle Design
Giving a lowdown on the unique shape and design of the bottle which stores this premium liquid, he reveals it was created with an award-winning design agency. Its design and packaging are recognisably Glenfiddich – continuing to reflect the heritage of the family-owned business, with a refreshing Caribbean flavour.
“The Glenfiddich 21 Year Old is presented in a classic glass bottle, with a paired-back logo; embossed in gold to allow the warmth of the liquid to shine through,” he explains. “The elegant bottle is then topped with a rum cask band, showcasing Gran Reserva’s rum cask finish to this classically Scottish liquid,” he continues further.
A Truly Premium Expression
“The Glenfiddich 21 Year Old is encased in a deep orange presentation box with references to the warm and mellow depths of flavour, which are the result of 21 years of maturation in oak casks,” he goes on to detail.
The richly coloured box has been enhanced with premium detailing, including gold foiling and a charcoal interior. “An ornate and decorative texture has been created using innovative finishing techniques rather than traditional printing, which is unusual for whisky packaging,” Brian observes.
