If Jack Daniel’s is easily recognizable by its monochrome label and heavy square bottle, Grant’s by a bottle with a triangular base, Johnny Walker by a gentleman with a cane, Glenfiddich by its branched horns on the label. What else can become a symbol of whiskey from the Deer Valley, and even with the distillery of the same name. However, Glenfiddich has a special relationship with Grant’s, both brands are owned by William Grant’s & Sons, produced at the same distillery, and both are considered leaders in their line: one among blended, the second – single malt whiskey.
Grant’s fans say that the triangular bottle is more popular and recognizable, and the German liqueur Jägermeister also has horns on the label. What lovers of single malt reasonably notice: even cartoon characters drink Glenfiddich. Indeed, in the animated series “Family Guy” one of the heroes of season 8 says that in addition to the gun, he put a bottle of 12-year-old Glenfiddich in the cache. And in the movie “9 Yards” when the heroes of Bruce Willis and Matthew Perry meet, it is Glenfiddich on the table. Single malt scotch with an impeccable reputation as a leader.
Historical reference. In 1886, William Grant, an accountant with 15 years of experience, fascinated by the idea of creating his own whiskey, began to build a distillery in the Glenfiddich Valley. The idea was realized in a year with the help of a wife and nine children, each of whom diligently performed his task. The first drops of whiskey appeared on Christmas Eve, so 1887 is considered the year of birth of the company.
The problem of all newcomers – the lack of regular customers, was resolved rather quickly: nearby, during a thunderstorm, the old Glenlivet distillery burned down, and all lovers of strong drinks from Deer Valley began to drink Glenfiddich. Since then, the number of Grants’ clients has been growing year by year. The distillery worked both during the First World War and during Prohibition with the United States. Moreover, in 1923 the production of Glenfiddich doubled. And after World War II, the development of the company continued successfully:
- 1957 Copper distillation stills appeared at the distillery.
- 1959 A private cooperage has been created – barrels of any volume are created.
- 1961 Glenfiddich takes on a “face”: commissioned by Sandy Grant, artists create a branded triangular bottle and a modern label.
The Grant family were pioneers in the field of packaging: they were the first to pack bottles of scotch in beautiful tubes and boxes with designer designs, which made Glenfiddich even more popular.
Unlike many other distilleries and small companies that could not stand the competition or weakened and passed under the wings of corporations, William Grant & Sons has always been and remains a family business. Today, the company is run by William Grant’s great-great-grandson, Peter Gordon.
At the source
William Grant dreamed that he would create a whiskey that would be unparalleled in Scotland. This dream was destined to come true. Until the 50s of the last century, the world drank blends (mixtures of malt distillate and grain alcohol).
Single malt whiskey, as a category – single malt, appeared in 1963, it is directly related to Glenfiddich.
The basis of single malt scotch is the most expensive raw material for whiskey – malted barley, distillate is created by hand, oak barrels are selected with great care – all this does not reduce the cost of whiskey. But the rich taste and character of the drink justify the costs. It was not immediately possible to prove this.
In 1963, a heated argument broke out between Glenfiddich and Chivas Regal over whether consumers would be able to appreciate the merits of single malt scotch. Glenfiddich insisted that we need to raise the bar and offer spirit drinkers not only the usual blends of a mixture of grain and malt whiskeys, but also original, complex-tasting single malts. The masters of Chivas Regal had the opposite opinion.
Then William Grant’s grandson Sandy, with a suitcase containing several bottles of Glenfiddich, went to New York. Thanks to connections with a former university classmate who worked in one of the New York newspapers, Sandy gathered the most famous and influential editors and journalists for a press conference, then simply told them about the new drink – Glenfiddich single malt. Newspaper headlines the next morning were filled with the words “Scottish miracle” and calls to try. So Glenfiddich Scotch began the single malt story.
Scotland did not immediately believe in a miracle. It wasn’t until the XNUMXs that competitors noticed an increase in demand for Glenfiddich’s products, and some distilleries tried their own single malt. But by that time Glenfiddich was already known and was not going to share the crown of leadership, occupying a third of the single malt scotch market.
Secrets of the Glenfiddich distillery
- Freedom of creativity. Throughout the history of William Grant’s & Sons, the distillery has never passed into the wrong hands, now the company is managed by the fifth generation of Grants. The director of the company believes that it is possible to easily influence the creation of drinks, create and experiment only at an independent enterprise.
- Continuity of masters. The average length of service at the Glenfiddich distillery is 30 years. Employees pass on skills from generation to generation, preserve traditions. For those 130 years that the distillery has been operating, only 6 masters have replaced each other – production managers. Each of them spared no time and effort for lengthy experiments in search of the perfect combination of spirits and flavors. The perfection of Glenfiddich is due to the synthesis of knowledge, experience and time.
- Continuous production. For 130 years, despite wars, oil crises and American Prohibition, the distillery never stopped working for a day. In warehouses, a little less than a million barrels are waiting for their time. And fans of Glenfiddich can even count on a 60-year-old whisky.
Glenfiddich’s slogan is “Every year counts” or “Every year counts.” The motto reflects not only the philosophy of the company, which values family values, but also the principle of creating drinks.
The ancestor of the family, William Grant, used varieties aged for at least 12 years, because he believed that this was the only way to get an exquisite aroma. Age requirements were also imposed on barrels for whiskey maturation – 30, 40, 50 years, then the color turned out to be rich and noble. There are no three-year-old scotches in the Glenfiddich line, the age of whiskey starts at 12 years old, then every year it has features and a different color of the packaging box.
Types of whiskey Glenfiddich
- Glenfiddich 12 Years Old. In a green (with a green tube) bottle, golden-colored scotch tape with a light fruity taste and pear smell. Long aftertaste with aroma of chocolate. Fortress 40%, exposure 12 years.
- Glenfiddich, Rich Oak 14 Years Old. Scotch tape of golden color with an aroma in which notes of fresh fruits and spices are harmoniously intertwined. The taste is rich, sweet, with hints of fruit, notes of vanilla and chocolate. Fortress 40%, exposure 14 years.
- Glenfiddich 15 Years Old. Scotch matures in three types of barrels – an old oak bourbon barrel, then a new one, and then a Spanish sherry barrel. This exposure provides a golden color, aroma with notes of apricot, quince and pear. The taste is oily, rich, with notes of fruit and chocolate. Fortress 40%, endurance 15 years.
- Glenfiddich 18 Years Old. An amber-colored scotch with a complex taste dominated by woody notes and a long aftertaste. The aroma contains notes of pear, peat smoke and chocolate. Experts call this whiskey a real man’s drink. Fortress 40%, exposure 18 years.
- Glenfiddich Age of Discovery Madeira Cask 19 years. Antique gold colored tape. The aroma is complex, with notes of grapes, currants, oranges. The taste is multifaceted, rich, the predominant notes are caramel, fruits, ginger. Fortress 40%, exposure 19 years. Created in honor of the Portuguese navigators of the 2011th century, who changed the picture of the world. Silver medal in 2012 – from the International Wine and Spirit Competition, gold in XNUMX – from the International Spirits Challenge.
- Glenfiddich 21 Years Old. Amber-colored whiskey with a sweet aroma of ripe fruit and hints of caramel. The taste is multifaceted, refined, with hints of caramel, lime and chocolate. For the last six months, the drink has been maturing in rum barrels, which explains the complexity of the taste. Fortress 40%, exposure 21 years.
- Glenfiddich Excellence 26 Years Old. Scotch is a bright amber color with expressive aromas of pear, apricot and pineapple and a powerful taste with notes of almonds, dried fruits and vanilla. Fortress 43%, exposure 26 years.
- Glenfiddich 30 Years Old. Scottish Field Whiskey Merchants Challenge Gold Medal in 2007 and 2008. A drink of rich amber color with a delicate aroma, in which woody and fruity notes are noticeable. The taste is rich with notes of fruits, honey and chocolate. Fortress 40%, exposure 30 years.
- Glenfiddich 40 Years Old. Whiskey mahogany color, in the sun it seems ruby. Complex multi-layered aroma with notes of dried fruits, chocolate, spices, roasted coffee beans. The taste is voluminous, rich, with notes of black coffee, dates, raisins. Long aftertaste. Fortress 45,8%, exposure 40 years. This is the oldest tape in the limited edition of 600 pieces. The bottle is in a wooden box covered with gold-embossed calfskin. The box is locked with a key. The set includes a certificate of authenticity and a book about the Glenfiddich distillery. Each bottle has a number on the cork and is personally signed by the owner of the company.
- Glenfiddich 50 Years Old. Luxurious drink of golden color with a mild aroma, notes of tobacco leaves, wild flowers and peat smoke are intertwined in the bouquet. The taste is complex, multifaceted, with notes of vanilla, dried fruits, spring herbs. 46,1% ABV, aged 50 years in bourbon barrels. Scotch is produced in a limited edition of 500 bottles, 50 of which are sold annually. Each bottle is numbered and presented in a handmade leather box with Scottish silver decor.
