The Glenfiddich distillery sits in the glen of the River Fiddich on the northern edge of Dufftown in Speyside. It was set up in 1886 and is owned by William Grant & Sons and is now managed by the fifth generation of William Grant’s descendants.
This came with the launch of their ‘straight malt’ in the US in 1963, marketing it as a premium product. The 60s and 70s were tough times in Scotch whisky but this decision to go higher end paid off. With ground-breaking, advertising campaigns, and the opening of a visitor centre, Glenfidditch was well placed when the market returned.
Glenfiddich is the only single malt distillery that uses 2,000 litre wooden marrying tuns and is known for leaving the blended whiskies to marry for an usually long time period, a technique that contributes to Glenfiddich’s well-known balanced character.
It is the only Highland single malt that is distilled, matured and bottled on site using only one single source of spring water, from the pure Robbie Dhu spring. Even the barrels are produced on site from various sources of wood.
In terms of production capacity, Glenfiddich ties with Glenlivet at the top of the charts, with the 31 stills at the distillery being maintained by an on-site specialist team. It remained open all the way through the era of prohibition, meaning it has stocks to sell and market once America became an export market again.
Glenfiddich has always been an innovator. It introduced the famous triangular bottle shape back in 1961, revolutionising whisky packaging. This culture of experimentation continues; Glenfiddich were the first distillery to finish a whisky in craft beer cask with the release of and IPA cask finish.
Released in October 2001 and distilled in the same year that George VI was crowned. Only 61 bottles were ever released (all that remained in this single cask). It passed through the hands of ten warehouse masters before David Stewart, the famous malt master, decided it was ready. Can currently be found for around £145k inc. VAT (Spring 2023).
A three bottle set that features a 30, 40 and 50 year old Glenfiddich, stunningly presented. It was released in late 2022. The 30 Year Old is named ‘Suspended Time’, the 40 Year Old ‘Cumulative Time’ and the 50 Year Old ‘Simultaneous Time’. Malt master Brian Kinsman said of the collection, ‘Both nature and time play huge roles in making whisky taste like it does… Glenfiddich’s Time Re:Imagined pays homage to this process and the exquisite liquid it helps to create.’
The 30 Year Old Suspended Time can be found for just under £1,000 per bottle.
The 40 Year Old Cumulative Time can be found for £3,695 per bottle.
The 50 Year Old Simultaneous Time can be found for £36,850 per bottle.
All prices inc. VAT.
If you are interesting in whiskies, further content can be found here.
