Spirits
GLENFIDDICH GRAND CRU 23-YEAR-OLD
WILLIAM GRANT & SONS HAVE FINALLY LAUNCHED THE MUCH AWAITED (BLAME COVID ET AL, FOR THE DELAY) GLENFIDDICH GRAND CRU 23-YEAR-OLD MALT. Glenfiddich is the most awarded single malt in the world so the possibility of a new, elite release has had whisky lovers exhilarated for ages. Exquisitely packaged, this is a 23-year-old malt from Speyside ($390), that is thrilling both in appearance and taste. Even more exciting, this is just the first in their new “Grand” series. The idea is to offer malts which are pitched very much at the luxury end of the market, but which will still be readily available, not just curiosities of a few cases only, read about in obscure publications and auction press releases. The origins of this superb malt go back nearly 150 years, when a Scottish bookkeeper working at the Mortlach
20 drinks trade
Distillery, named William Grant, had a dream of making the “best dram in the valley.” Grant took careful note of all that was happening, in case he ever got his chance. Finally, at the age of 47, Grant quit his job and paid £119,19 shillings and 10 pence for a copper pot still and associated equipment and, with the assistance of his seven sons and two daughters, set off to make that “best dram.” Christmas Day 1887 saw the first spirit shared among the family, and his little distillery was dubbed Glenfiddich, meaning “valley of the deer.” As soon as he could, Grant purchased the nearby Robbie Dhu
Spring, an incomparable source of quality water for whisky. The nearby stream was actually called the Fiddich. Glenfiddich remains the only Speyside distillery distilling, maturing, and bottling on site (these days, the 12-Year-Old is an exception). Clearly, the Glenfiddich Grand Cru 23-Year-Old malt is a whisky which has excited the marketing and PR gurus as well as spirit lovers – “sets out to redefine moments of celebration,” “a new and extraordinary drinking experience,” “created for the non-conformists,” “uniquely crafted as a surprising delight,” and “for those tearing up the rule book.” As I have