Glenfiddich distillery
1979%2C_Dufftown%2C_Speyside%2C_Scotland.jpg) Glenfiddich Distillery | |
| Region: Speyside | |
|---|---|
| Location | 250 |
| Owner | William Grant & Sons |
| Founded | 1886 |
| Status | Operational |
| Water source | Robbie Dhu Springs |
| Number of stills |
10 wash 16 spirit |
| Glenfiddich | |
| Age(s) |
12-year-old 15-year-old 18-year-old 21-year-old 30-year-old 40-year-old 50-year-old |
| Cask type(s) |
Bourbon Sherry Rum |
The Glenfiddich Distillery is a Speyside single malt Scotch whisky distillery owned by William Grant & Sons in Dufftown, Scotland. Glenfiddich means ‘Valley of the Deer' in Gaelic, hence the presence of a stag symbol on Glenfiddich bottles.[1][2]
History
The Glenfiddich Distillery was founded in 1886 by William Grant in Dufftown, Scotland, in the glen of the River Fiddich.[3] The Glenfiddich single malt whisky first ran from the stills on Christmas Day, 1887.[4]
Following difficult times in the 1960s and '70s, many small, independent distillers were bought up or went out of business. In order to survive, W. Grant & Sons expanded their production of the drink, and introduced advertising campaigns, a visitors' centre and from 1957 packaged their whisky in distinctive triangular bottles.[5]
Later, W. Grant & Sons was one of the first distilleries to package its bottles in tubes and gift tins, as well as recognising the importance of the duty-free market for spirits. This marketing strategy was successful, and Glenfiddich has now become the world's best-selling single malt.[6] It is sold in 180 countries,[4] and accounts for about 35% of single malt sales.[7]
Production
The water source is the Robbie Dhu springs. Glenfiddich is matured in oak casks such as rum casks from the Caribbean (in the case of 21 year old Gran Reserva), Bourbon whiskey barrels from America (Ancient Reserve), or sherry butts from Jerez in Spain.[8][9]
Whiskies
Glenfiddich is bottled at many ages. Their whiskies include
- Glenfiddich Special Reserve 12 year old
- Glenfiddich Caoran Reserve 12 year old
- Glenfiddich Rich Oak Reserve 14 year old
- Glenfiddich Solera Reserve 15 year old
- Glenfiddich Ancient Reserve 18 year old
- Glenfiddich Gran Reserva (Havana) 21 year old
- Glenfiddich 30 year old
- Glenfiddich 40 year old
- Glenfiddich 50 year old
- Glenfiddich 1937
In 1937, cask 843 was filled with spirit from the stills at The Glenfiddich distillery in Dufftown. Over its life ten consecutive warehouse masters watched over the cask. After 64 years, in October 2001, Glenfiddich's Malt Master David Stewart declared that cask 843 was finally ready to be bottled. Just 61 bottles were left in the cask.
Other rare or limited whiskies:
- Glenfiddich Spirit of a Nation 29 year old (only 250 bottles were made, UK limited release)[10]
- Glenfiddich Select Cask
- Glenfiddich Reserve Cask
- Glenfiddich Vintage Cask
- Glenfiddich 125th Anniversary Edition
- Glenfiddich Anniversary Vintage (125th Anniversary) (286 bottles made)
- Glenfiddich Ultimate 38 year old (600 bottles made, China limited release)
- Glenfiddich Janet Sheed Roberts Reserve 55 year old (only 11 bottles were released to celebrate every decade of Janet Sheed Roberts life, who is the last grandchild of Glenfiddich's founder, William Grant. The bottles were auctioned for charity and raised over ₤400,000)[11]
- Glenfiddich Commemorative Release (given to Young’s Market Company’s 3700 employees)
- Glenfiddich Age of Discovery Madeira Cask 19 year old
- Glenfiddich Age of Discovery Bourbon Cask 19 year old
- Glenfiddich Age of Discovery Red Wine Cask 19 year old
- Glenfiddich Distillery Edition 15 year old
- Glenfiddich Malt Master's Edition Sherry Cask
- Glenfiddich Snow Phoenix 2010 release
- Glenfiddich Cask of Dreams (USA limited release)
- Glenfiddich Cask of Dreams Canadian Edition (Canada limited release)
- Glenfiddich Cask of Dreams Nordic Oak Edition (3600 bottles made, Sweden, Norway, Denmark and Finland limited release)
- Glenfiddich Cask of Dreams Russian Cask Edition (Russia limited release)
- Glenfiddich Excellence 18 year old
- Glenfiddich Foundation Reserve
- Glenfiddich Private Vintages
- Glenfiddich 1991 Don Ramsay Reserve
- Glenfiddich Toasted Oak Reserve 12 year old
- Glenfiddich Centenary Edition (12000 bottles made)
- Glenfiddich Wedgewood Decanter 21 year old (was produced to celebrate 100 years of distilling at Glenfiddich)
- Glenfiddich Classic Pure Malt
Liqueur
Glenfiddich produces a liqueur called Glenfiddich Malt Whisky Liqueur that is 40% alcohol by volume, and is sold in 50 cl (500 ml) bottles. Glenfiddich Malt Whisky Liqueur is exported to foreign markets, such as the USA, but not widely.
Critical acclaim
Glenfiddich's whiskies have performed very well at international spirits ratings competitions. The 12, 15, 18, and 21-year offerings have all rated well in the San Francisco World Spirits Competition and the Beverage Testing Institutes' reviews.[12] On balance, the 15-year whisky has performed the best, receiving three double-gold medals (in four years) at the 2007–2010 San Francisco competitions and a score of 91 with the Beverage Testing Institute.[13]
Glenfiddich Awards
Since 1970, Glenfiddich has promoted the Glenfiddich Food and Drink Awards to honour distinguished writing and broadcasting in the fields of food and drink in the UK.
See also
- List of distilleries in Scotland
References
- ↑ "Whisky Pronunciation chart from Univ. of Edinburgh". Dcs.ed.ac.uk. Retrieved 26 December 2011.
- ↑ William Grant & Sons
- ↑ "Glenfiddich". Dcs.ed.ac.uk. Retrieved 26 December 2011.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 "William Grant & Sons". Williamgrant.com. Retrieved 26 December 2011.
- ↑ scotchwhisky.com, URL accessed 31 March 2007
- ↑ "Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival website". Spiritofspeyside.com. Retrieved 26 December 2011.
- ↑ "ScotchWhisky.com". ScotchWhisky.com. Retrieved 26 December 2011.
- ↑ Glenfiddich Gran Reserva product information
- ↑ Glenfiddich Ancient Reserva product information
- ↑ http://www.glenfiddich.com/uk/collection/special-editions/spirit-of-a-nation-2/
- ↑ http://www.glenfiddich.com/uk/collection/rare-and-vintage/janet-sheed-roberts-reserve/
- ↑ "Summary of Performance Awards at www.proof66.com". Proof66.com. Retrieved 26 December 2011.
- ↑ "www.proof66.com". www.proof66.com. Retrieved 17 October 2012.
External links
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Coordinates: 57°27′18.5″N 03°07′51.0″W / 57.455139°N 3.130833°W