Glenfiddich Experimental Series
The Experimental Series embodies the Glenfiddich philosophy of freedom and possibilities, to create a range of ground-breaking single malts that the world never seen before.
IPA Experiment
Experimental series No.1
In their first groundbreaking experiment, Malt Master Brian Kinsman has proven that traditional whisky casks can be seasoned in an untraditional way. Collaborating with a local Speyside craft IPA brewer Seb Jones, Brian created a bold and zesty IPA craft beer to imbue their rich oak casks with extra hoppy notes. The experiment resulted in the first single malt whisky ever finished in craft IPA casks.
This expression is imbued with unique zesty citrus notes of ripe green apple, William’s pear and spring blossom. It is complimented by the subtle tang of fresh hops followed by a long lasting sweetness.
| Brand | Glenfiddich |
| No. of bottles | Unknown |
| Cask Maturation | Maturation in American oak barrels & Finished for 3 months in India Pale Ale Cask |
| Bottled | 2016 |
| Size | 70, 75 cl |
| ABV / Strength | 43% |
| Age | NAS |
| Varietal | Single Malt |
Project XX
Experimental series No.2
Their second experiment of the series took place privately at their Conval warehouse. Shrouded in secrecy, Malt Master Brian Kinsman invited 20 whisky experts from around the world to select any expression of their choosing from thousands of stacked casks. The final 20 chosen malts, matured in everything from port pipes to virgin bourbon barrels, have created an unusual, untraditional and unexpected whisky, one that has exceeded even their expectations.
With its deep golden hue, Project XX embodies the warm, fruity character of a classic Glenfiddich with hints of apple blossom, summer fruits and ripe pear. But its multiple personalities are revealed with hints of sweet candyfloss, cinnamon spice, almonds and rich port tannins with the odd whisper of liquorice. Deep and mellow, the finish is long lasting with a lingering sweet oakiness.
| Brand | Glenfiddich |
| No. of bottles | Unknown |
| Cask Maturation | 17 Ex-Bourbon barrels, 2 Ex-Sherrycasks & 1 Ex-Portocask. |
| Bottled | 2017 |
| Size | 70, 75cl |
| ABV / Strength | 47% |
| Age | NAS |
| Varietal | Single Malt |
Winter Storm
Experimental Series No.3
Their third experiment see Glenfiddich 21 Year Old finished in French-oak ice-wine casks from Canada. The heightened candied sweets and oakiness of Glenfiddich are complemented by mouth-watering tropical fruit notes and a luscious sweetness from the unique Icewine cask finish.
Brian Kinsman, Glenfiddich’s Malt Master, is constantly on the lookout for ingenious innovations in Scotch whisky. So when he travelled to Canada, he made a point of visiting a winemaker at a renowned winery in Niagara. Despite the freezing January weather, Brian braved the tour of the vineyards, where he learned how the grapes had to be picked by moonlight at -10˚C when they were as hard as pebbles. These stories about extreme conditions and the unique production process of the intensely sweet Icewine were inspirational.
When he returned to The Glenfiddich Distillery in Dufftown, Brian started experimenting with several French oak Icewine casks from the Canadian winery, filling them with different Glenfiddich aged malts for up to six months. What he found fascinated him. Only the rarer whiskies, those aged for 21 years, could cope with the extra Icewine intensity. Having more tannins, extracted from years in oak, these malts brought out a uniquely fresh lychee note instead of being swamped by sweetness.
| Brand | Glenfiddich |
| No. of bottles | 16.000 |
| Cask Maturation | Matured for 21 years in Ex-Bourbon American oak barrels & Finished in French-oak ice-wine casks from Canada |
| Region | Batch 1 2017, batch 2 2018 |
| Size | 70,75 cl |
| ABV / Strength | 43% |
| Age | 21 Year Old |
| Varietal | Single Malt |
Fire & Cane
Experimental series no.4
As the fourth expression of the Experimental Series, Fire & Cane fuses the brand’s smoky whisky with malts that had been maturing side-by-side in bourbon casks, showcasing Glenfiddich’s sweet and fruity signature style.
Taking it a step further, all of the whiskies were finished in Latin rum casks to produce a surprising overlay of added caramel toffee sweetness.
Fire & Cane is inspired by the early innovation of Glenfiddich Malt Master Brian Kinsman, who in 2003, first ran peated spirit through the Glenfiddich stills, birthing the concept of what would become the innovative Experimental Series.
Glenfiddich Fire & Cane is a bold fusion of smoky and sweet notes. By marrying peated whisky and malts matured in bourbon barrels, and then finishing in Latin rum casks, we created an exquisite whisky with campfire smokiness and toffee sweetness.
| Brand | Glenfiddich |
| No. of bottles | Unknown |
| Country | Peated single malt that is married and matured in Ex-Bourbon barrels & Finished in Latin Rum casks |
| Bottled | 2018 |
| Size | 70, 75cl |
| ABV / Strength | 43% |
| Age | NAS |
| Varietal | Single Malt |
Orchard
Experimental Series No. 05
Orchard Experiment is the fifth release in Glenfiddich Distillery’s Experimental Series and is the world’s first single malt to be finished in Somerset Pomona casks. The palate is bright and fruity, with notes of crunchy apples, vanilla, oaky spice and caramel that linger in the finish.
| Brand | Glenfiddich |
| No. of bottles | Unknown |
| Country | Finish Somerset Pomona Spirit Casks |
| Bottled | 7.7.2022 |
| Size | 70, 75cl |
| ABV / Strength | 43% |
| Age | NAS |
| Varietal | Single Malt |
