GLENFIDDICH PARTNERS WITH ANDRÉ SARAVIA TO UNVEIL GRAND CHÂTEAU

5 September 2024: Glenfiddich, the World’s Most Awarded Single Malt Scotch Whisky*, has collaborated with French artist André Saraiva to launch Grand Château, its newest limited edition in the Grand Series. Saravia, an internationally renowned artist who has previously collaborated with global luxury brands, has worked with Glenfiddich to visualise the Grand Château world. From the 250 limited-edition packaging to campaign visuals, he has taken inspiration from the exquisite liquid and collision of two cultures.

Widely recognised as a genre-defining artist, André was responsible for a significant turning point in the history of street art, when he introduced his cheerful, top-hatted stick figure, and now iconic ‘Mr.A’ into his work. As the first graffiti artist to paint a character in place of the traditional tag name, he quickly became known as Paris’ most active street artist. This collaboration further reinforces Glenfiddich’s long standing history and commitment to supporting the arts, be that through collaborations with established artists or by inviting up-and-coming artists to its distillery to create artworks inspired by the surroundings.

Glenfiddich Grand Château is a 31 Year Old whisky and the first release by the distillery to use Bordeaux red wine casks. The liquid has been matured in American oak before being finished for an extended nine years in Bordeaux red wine casks from the French wine-growing region. The nine year finish adds layer upon layer of new and unexpected flavour. Indulgent and rich, caramelised cherry and apple intertwines with warming spice and toasted oak; an opulent, yet earthy liquid that’s fruity and at the same time floral. This liquid tells the tale of two worlds, drawing inspiration and character from both, to create one exceptional liquid.

It is this unexpected marriage of Speyside with Bordeaux that has provided the inspiration for Saravia’s artwork for the packaging, Saraiva has juxtaposed a traditional Toile de jouy print and used it as a canvas on which he has applied his signature motifs and style, disrupting the art form. The extremely limited-edition outer casings feature Saraiva’s signature ‘Mr.A’ character–a figure that has traveled the world from the streets of Paris to New York, Shenzhen, London and Seoul, and within this design can be seen playfully selecting the extended Bordeaux  red wine cask finished whisky at Glenfiddich Distillery in Scotland.  The artist’s 250 limited edition and the wider release will feature a bright and bold watercolour print by Saravia on the inside of the box.

On the collaboration André Saraiva comments:

“When Glenfiddich asked me (and Mr.A) to work with them it felt like a perfect match. I am a lover of whisky and the connection to France with this bespoke liquid allowed for a huge amount of creativity. I’ve had the pleasure of visiting the beautiful land of Scotland where I was able to truly experience the history and heritage, the people, the inspiring surroundings and taste Glenfiddich. These unique adventures are reflected in my drawings and art for my collaboration with Glenfiddich.”

Brian Kinsman, Glenfiddich Malt Master said:

“Bordeaux red wine casks are incredibly versatile sources of flavour and recognised widely for their outstanding quality, providing the perfect opportunity for experimentation to develop a profound spirit. Nine years spent cocooned in Bordeaux red wine casks results in an exceptionally vibrant liquid which intensifies Glenfiddich’s classic fruity character balanced somewhat unusually with notes of deep oak and warming vanilla. Although wine is becoming an increasingly popular choice for maturation within the single malt category, it remains relatively rare to see whiskies finished in a Bordeaux  red wine cask, making this an incredibly intriguing and collectable bottling.”

Grand Château is the latest addition to the Grand series, which includes Grand Yozakura, a limited edition 29 Year Old whisky and the first Single Malt Scotch Whisky to be finished in rare ex-Awamori casks; Grande Couronne, a 26 Year Old Scotch Whisky matured in American and European oak casks finished for up to two years in meticulously sourced French Cognac casks; Glenfiddich Grand Cru, aged for 23 years in American and European oak casks and then finessed in French Cuvée oak casks; Gran Cortes, a refined Glenfiddich whisky aged for 22 years in traditional Sherry oak before finishing in very rare Palo Cortado Sherry casks, only available in Asia and Glenfiddich Gran Reserva, patiently mellowed for 21 years in European and American Oak casks before a final flourish in Caribbean Rum casks.

Grand Château descriptors:

Nose: Warm cocooning vanilla slowly unveils fruity, floral notes of beautifully ripe cassis berries, and piquant nutty aromas

Taste: Indulgent and rich, flavours of slowly caramelised cherries and apples intertwine with an unmistakable warming spice and toasted oak

Finish: Everlasting depth and character

THIS ARTICLE APPEARS HERE WELL AFTER THE ORIGINAL DATE AND IS PUBLISHED AS A MATTER OF INTEREST

The Whisky Explorer Awards

“Premier Whisky Shop in Canada…”

..2nd Year in a Row!

It has just been announced that Kensington Wine Market has been picked as the Premier Whisky Shop in Canada for the 2nd year running in The Whisky Explorer Awards.

The award is part of the People’s Choice portion of the Whisky awards. We were nominated and voted on whisky lovers, which is what makes this award truly special for us.

Thank you to everyone who voted for us, we are truly humbled!

There are plenty of great whisky shops around — especially in Alberta as we continue to have the only fully privatized retail liquor model in Canada. There is plenty of competition in this province, and that makes us feel all the more privileged and thankful for being selected for awards by whisky lovers, like this.

If you would like to check out the winners in other categories for this year’s Whisky Explorer Awards, you can check out the latest edition of the online Whisky Explorer Magazine here.

The Awards are announced starting on page 42.

If you want to kill some extra minutes after that, you could also check out at my poorly-timed article on American Single Malt Whiskey!

It can be found on page 39.

Ahh, to go back to a pre-trade war world. Those were the days.

Cheers, Evan

403-283-8000

888-283-9004

Regular Store Hours

Mon-Wed 10 AM – 8 PM

Thurs & Fri 10 AM – 9 PM

Sat 10 AM – 8 PM

Sun 11 AM to 6 PM

Cambus (silent) Cooper’s Choice Single Cask 32 Year Old·1991 Vintage

Cambus distillery, which was situated between Stirling and Alloa was active from 1806 to 1993, where it fell victim to rationalisation and saw the expansion of Cameronbridge distillery. Since 2011 the site has been used as Diageo’s cooperage. This is a 32 years old single Bourbon cask bottling by Cooper’s Choice. 47.5% ABV | Vintage 1991 | Year Bottled 2023

£179.95

Our first single cask exclusive for 2023 comes from Deanston Distillery, bottled by Little Brown Dog. This Deanston was distilled in 2008 and bottled in 2023 from a single bourbon barrel.  One of only 255 bottles produced. Bottled at a cask strength of 54.1%

£77.49

Tasting notes:

Nose: Green apples, grapefruit, honeydew melon, vanilla, Tunnocks coconut caramel log & malted milk biscuit.

Palate: Vanilla shortbread, waxy (old school Clynelish), pepper at the end.

Finish: The finish is long with notes of ginger and Lindt white chocolate. Warming, waxy & oily.

With Water:

Nose: Granny Smith apples

Taste: A little more spice on the palate.

Finish: a little more mellowed, waxy and nutty

TyndrumWhisky.com
The Green Welly Stop
Tyndrumwhisky, Tyndrum
Crianlarich, Perthshire FK20 8RY
United Kingdom

Rosebank 22 Year Old 1992 vintage Lowland single malt Scotch whisky. Single cask refill hogshead bottled 2014 by Hunter Laing & Co. for the Old & Rare Platinum series. 136 bottles. A rare find from a distillery that has only recently reopened.

Regular price £1,440.00 GBP

Our collection schedule for March 2025 has now been finalised. Please click HERE to see the list of dates, locations and to register your interest in the collection service. We can collect lots for up to three auctions.

The deadline for collection requests is 12noon on Monday 10th February 2025.

Home collections are available for those customers sending 10+ bottles or bottles to the value of £1000. Lots can be split over the next three auctions. Unfortunately this service is not available in London or to those customer who live within 10 miles of a collection point. Although we do have four collection points in London.

Collections are limited and offered on a first come first served basis. It is essential that a submission sheet is completed, you can find the link to do so under the selling section on your ‘My SWA’ page.

It would be appreciated if bottles could be packed for uplift with your name clearly marked on the front of the box. A winner in our auction? We are now offering a delivery service to customers who are dropping bottles off for a future auction. This service is charged at £12 (inc. VAT), optional loss and breakage cover is available.

WHISKY OFFERS

TRY SOMETHING NEW THIS MONTH

Explore our offers on whiskies from Scotland and America. Whether you’re drawn to the diversity of flavour in Scotland’s distilleries or the bold character of American whiskies, we’ve got something for you.

You’ll get £30.05 off the sweet and spicy E.H. Taylor Small Batch. This Kentucky bourbon offers complex notes of caramel, vanilla, and a touch of spice.

Singleton 12 delivers a rounded, fruit-forward experience with toasted hazelnuts, dates, and apple, finishing with subtle notes – and comes with a pair of tumblers.

Laphroaig PX balances rich fruitiness with classic Islay peat smoke, thanks to its maturation in pedro ximenez casks.

 SHOP OFFERS 

VCL VINTNERS FIRST UK WHISKY BROKER TO ADOPT PIONEERING BLOCKCHAIN TECHNOLOGY ACROSS OPERATIONS

– VCL Implements Proof 8 SaaS Platform for Full Traceability and Transparency of Inventory –

London, [February 2025] – VCL Vintners (VCL) has become the first whisky broker in the UK to turn to blockchain technology to transform its operations and guarantee full traceability and transparency of its inventory.  Using Proof 8’s proprietary SaaS platform, VCL is now able to track and verify every stage of a product’s life cycle with real-time data and secure, immutable records known as ‘Digital Deeds’, making it easier to prove provenance, maintain compliance and ensure transparency of ownership.

Benjamin Lancaster, founder and partner of VCL, said: “Proof 8 has harnessed blockchain technology to deliver hands-down the best end-to-end cask management solution on the market. Already employed by future-thinking distilleries and warehouses to improve operational processes and productivity, we are proud to be the first broker to fully adopt the Proof 8 platform to manage our clients’ assets.”

Casks that are stored on the Proof 8 platform are assigned a unique ‘Digital Deed’ – a trusted record of ownership which is a digital representation of the physical asset. This approach not only removes all uncertainty around authenticity and ownership, it also enables seamless transfer of ownership, ensuring a secure, transparent and efficient process.

Benjamin added: “Full traceability and transparency is crucial, especially in an industry like whisky where provenance can make or break the value of an asset. Through this innovation, we are modernising the way in which whisky is traded and invested. The digital transformation also addresses some long-standing challenges in the market, including counterfeiting and fraud. Investors now have a reliable way to track their assets, guaranteeing peace of mind.

“Because ‘Digital Deeds’ are securely recorded on the blockchain and are unique to each asset, like a fingerprint, they cannot be copied or modified and so provide a secure, verifiable record of authenticity that buyers and collectors can trust when it comes to their investments.”

VCL made headlines in 2021 when it collaborated with Proof 8 on another of their innovative platforms – Metacask – to auction a rare 1991 Macallan cask, attaching a blockchain-based token (NFT), an early iteration of the Proof 8 ‘Digital Deed’. The cask sold for a record-breaking $2.3 million, setting a new precedent in the world of high-value collectibles.

Benjamin and business partner Stuart Thom became early investors in Metacask and continue to believe in the power of technology to unlock new forms of ownership and bring trust and transparency to the industry.

“Blockchain technology has already had a transformative impact on industries like finance, banking and healthcare – that have complex supply chains, data-sharing requirements and high regulatory and compliance requirements and we were convinced that it could be a game-changer in asset-backed investments like whisky,” Benjamin said. “Before the Macallan sale it was a relatively untapped market and Proof 8 has developed a secure, scalable solution that provides a seamless way to trade, track and authenticate ownership in a way traditional methods simply couldn’t match.”

Rob Hollands, CEO at Proof 8, said: “Moving away from paper-based records, certificates of ownership, and unreliable tools such as Excel to manage the production process, provides a real opportunity for better data across the whole industry. This not only unlocks the potential for greater efficiencies in the production and maturation process but, crucially for collectors, whisky enthusiasts and brokers, brings assurance of ownership and provenance which previously didn’t exist. With our platform, there can no longer be any doubt over the origins, location and ownership of an asset. Every crucial piece of information is collected, stored and tracked on our platform throughout its entire lifetime. And this information is accessible at any time. This level of transparency and traceability, from grain to glass, is now the new standard for the industry today. As the first whisky broker to implement our platform, VCL shares our values of transforming spirits with trust, transparency and innovation at the core.”

Established in 2010, VCL Vintners is a trusted name in whisky brokering and investment, known for its extensive network and expertise in sourcing and trading rare casks. With this latest digital transformation, VCL is positioning itself at the forefront of the industry’s evolution.

vclvintners.london

About VCL Vintners
Founded in 2010, VCL Vintners is the pioneer of the spirits investment industry as it’s known today. VCL has a proven history of providing investment-grade spirits for its network of retail and institutional investors, offering investment opportunities that range from new-make spirits to some of the oldest and rarest casks available anywhere in the world. Since inception, VCL has amassed assets under management which are currently valued at over £130m.

About Proof 8

Proof 8 is transforming the spirits industry by digitalising production, maturation and ownership. Their SaaS platform streamlines distillery operations, warehouse management and connects brand products to consumers. Proof 8’s digitalisation creates assets and products that are ‘born digital’ – ensuring traceability, authentication, and valuable consumer experiences. By using innovative solutions, new tech and user-centred design, Proof 8 optimises the entire spirits journey, from grain to bottle, redefining the way businesses and consumers connect in the ever-evolving spirits landscape.

https://proof-8.com/

The 165th auction is around the midway point now, but fear not for there is still plenty of time to get involved.  From our experience the auction usually ends sometime after 10pm on Sunday night, leaving you ample time to secure that bottle you have your eye on.  We have some really interesting bottles in this month, so here are a few you might have missed.

We’d be remiss if we didn’t kick things off with this incredible Balvenie 47 Year Old ‘Morgan’s Reserve’. Up there with the oldest bottlings ever produced by this esteemed distillery? Check. Vanishingly rare? Check. First time this bottling has ever been made available to the secondary market? You’d better believe it. This private bottling, for the grandchildren of whisky merchant George Morgan, from his own private casks, will now be on the radar of every serious Balvenie collector worldwide. We can’t emphasise enough how special this one is!

These are good. Very, very good. An eclectic (verging on obscure) collection of bottlings from artisan stateside distilleries, tasting these is like listening to a jazz compilation through expensive headphones. If you don’t believe us, just check out their scores at whiskyfun.com, where Serge Valentin has rated most of them in the 90s. If you’ve never stepped out of your comfort zone with international whisk(e)y, this might be the perfect place to start…

The Red Collection from Macallan is one of the most beautiful series from the Speyside giants, in no small part because of the classic, understated nature of the presentation. This Macallan 40 Year Old The Red Collection typifies that – no bells, no whistles, no smoke and mirrors… just an elegant wooden case which houses a truly spectacular bottle of whisky.

Rounding off the whistle-stop tour of our 165th Auction is this dark, unctuous Fettercairn 46 Year Old. Founded in 1824 (incidentally, the same year as The Macallan), Fettercairn has ridden often under the radar – but always appreciated by those who have fallen in love with its light, tropical spirit. The stills at the distillery have unique copper cooling rings which douse them in water to increase condensation. This richer expression has been finished in Tawny Port Pipes, lending notes of ripe banana, dark chocolate and figs.As always, we have a wide range of drams with something to suit everyone, so now is the time to get moving picking out your own personal favourites for your watchlist. Best of luck to everyone in the auction, and as always………..don’t lose your bottle.

Thinking of selling your bottles? 

We still offer 0% commission to all sellers making Scotch Whisky Auctions the best place to sell bottles.

Teaninich 40 Year Old 1973 Vintage Highland single malt Scotch whisky. Single cask sherry hogshead bottled October 2014 by Hunter Laing & Co. for the Old & Rare Platinum Selection. 229 bottles.

This burnished gold coloured whisky has a full bodied and sweet nose of vanilla, butterscotch and Christmas pudding with brandy sauce. It is smooth and creamy on the palate, with vanilla, cinder toffee and dark chocolate giving a remarkable depth of character. The finish is long and satisfying with a dry oaky aftertaste.

£900.00 GBP