Review | Aberfeldy 21 years old Malbec Cask Finish

This single malt whisky is the latest addition to the Wine Cask Collection from the Highland distillery of Aberfeldy. The Wine Cask Collection whiskies are created by Stephanie Macleod, the Malt Master for Aberfeldy. This latest edition - the Aberfeldy 21 years old Malbec Cask Finish - has seen the brand partner with Finca Ambrosia, an organic winery located in the Uco Valley in Mendoza, Argentina. 

Inbox | The Week's Whisky News | March 15, 2024

Welcome to Inbox - our weekly round up of whisky news and PR material that has found its way in to the WFE email. We started Inbox several years ago as we cannot write full articles or do justice to every piece received. It features items from around the world of whisky and is published by us each Friday. Within Inbox we aim to write a few lines detailing each press release/ piece of news/ PR event that we have received and provide links, where possible, for you to find out further information. 

Review / Aberfeldy 18 Years Old Cabernet Sauvignon Wine Cask Finish

This whisky is the latest bottling in the Red Wine Cask Collection from the Highland distillery of Aberfeldy. The Aberfeldy 18 years old has been finished in ex-Cabernet Sauvignon casks from the Napa Valley in California. The series, which launched in 2019, showcases some of the finest wine barrels from wineries around the world. This new release has been created by Stephanie Macleod, the Malt Master at Aberfeldy. The Aberfeldy 18 years old limited edition is bottled at 43% ABV and is available in selected global markets including France, Germany, the UK and USA. A bottle will cost £115/ $US150. 

Inbox / The Week's Whisky News (July 28, 2023)

Welcome to Inbox, our weekly round up of whisky news and PR material that has found its way in to our WFE email. It was created as we cannot write full articles or do justice to every piece received. It features items from around the world of whisky and is published by us each Friday. Within Inbox we aim to write a few lines detailing each press release/piece of news/PR event that we have received and provide links, where possible, for you to find out further information. 

Review / Aberfeldy Red Wine Cask Collection - 15 years old & 18 years old

These whiskies are the latest new expressions to the Red Wine Cask Collection from the Perthshire distillery of Aberfeldy. The Aberfeldy 15 years old and 18 years old have been crafted by Stephanie Macleod, the Malt Master at Aberfeldy, and are the first in the series to feature wine casks from outside of France. The Red Wine Cask Collection was launched in 2019 and has seen annual releases since.

The Aberfeldy 15 years old has been finished in ex-Cabernet Sauvignon wine barriques sourced from California's Napa Valley. The 18 years old has been finished in ex-Tuscan red wine barrels from Bolgheri in Italy. Both expressions are bottled at 43% ABV and are available in limited numbers, although the exact quantity of each has not been revealed.

Inbox / The Week's Whisky News (September 30, 2022)

Welcome to Inbox, our weekly round up of whisky news and PR material that has found its way in to our WFE email. It was created as we cannot write full articles or do justice to every piece received. It features items from around the world of whisky and is published by us each Friday. Within Inbox we aim to write a few lines detailing each press release/piece of news/PR event that we have received and provide links, where possible, for you to find out further information. 

Review / Aberfeldy 18 years old Côte Rôtie Finish

This new whisky is the third bottling in the French Red Wine Cask Collection from the Highland distillery of Aberfeldy. The series kicked off in 2019 with the 15 years old Pomerol Finish and was followed in 2020 by the 18 years old Pauillac Finish. This third release has been finished in Côte Rôtie wine barrels sourced by Stephanie Macleod, the Malt Master for Aberfeldy, from the famous Rhône Valley in France. The Côte Rôtie appelation is located in the northern Rhône and covers around 500 hectares. There are 60 vineyards with most growing the Syrah and Viognier grape varieties. The wines are known for their elegance and finesse with fruity and floral characteristics.

Inbox / The Week's Whisky News (August 27, 2021)

Welcome to Inbox, our weekly round up of whisky news and PR material that has found its way in to our WFE email. It was created as we cannot write full articles or do justice to every piece received. It features items from around the world of whisky and is published by us each Friday. Within Inbox we aim to write a few lines detailing each press release/piece of news/PR event that we have received and provide links, where possible, for you to find out further information. 

Inbox - The Week's Whisky News (Nov 29, 2019)

Welcome to Inbox, our weekly round up of whisky news and PR material that has found its way in to our WFE email. It was created as we cannot write full articles or do justice to every piece received. It features items from around the world of whisky and is published by us each Friday. Of course, today is Black Friday so there are a couple of items related to this.

Inbox - The Week's Whisky News (November 15, 2019)

Welcome to Inbox, our weekly round up of whisky news and PR material that has found its way in to our WFE email. It was created as we cannot write full articles or do justice to every piece received. It features items from around the world of whisky and is published by us each Friday.

Inbox - The Week's Whisky News (October 25, 2019)

Welcome to Inbox, our weekly round up of whisky news and PR material that has found its way in to our WFE email. It was created as we cannot write full articles or do justice to every piece received. It features items from around the world of whisky and is published by us each Friday.

Inbox - The Week's Whisky News (August 17, 2018)

Welcome to Inbox.  For those new to WFE, Inbox is our weekly round up of whisky news and PR material that has found its way in to our email inbox. It was created as we cannot write full articles or do justice to every piece received. It features items from around the world of whisky and is published by us each Friday.

Review - Aberfeldy 16 years old

John Dewar & Sons, the owners of the Highland distillery of Aberfeldy, have released a new expression in to their core single malt range. The Aberfeldy 16 years old has been matured entirely in ex-Oloroso sherry casks and will sit between the current 12 and 21 years old expressions in the range, which forms part of the owners wider Last Great Malts portfolio. There is also an 18 years old, which is exclusive to the travel retail sector. This new release was launched back in November and will be available in eleven selected world markets - Belgium, Canada, Germany, France, Japan, Lebanon, Netherlands, Russia, Sweden, Taiwan and the UK.

Inbox - The Week's Whisky News (November 27, 2015)

Welcome to this week's Inbox.  For those that have recently discovered us, Inbox is our weekly round up of whisky news and PR material that has found its way in to our email inbox. It was created as we cannot write full articles or do justice to every piece received. It features items from around the world of whisky and is published by us each Friday.

Distillery visit - Aberfeldy

Aberfeldy is one of the most visited whisky distilleries in Scotland, despite the Aberfeldy range of single malt not featuring in the world's Top 20 best sellers.  Its Highland location and relative proximity to Edinburgh and Glasgow help a lot but the main reason for its popularity is the distillery's importance to Dewar's, one of the most popular blended Scotch brands.  Aberfeldy is one of the signature single malts in the Dewar's range and this is reflected in the Dewar's World of Whisky visitor centre being at the distillery.

Inbox - August 22, 2014

Welcome to this week's Inbox.  For those that have recently discovered us, Inbox is our weekly round up of whisky news and PR material that has found its way in to our email inbox. It was created as we cannot write full articles or do justice to every piece received. It features items from around the world of whisky and is published by us each Friday.

Have just tried - Aberfeldy 12 years old

This whisky is the flagship single malt from the Highland distillery of Aberfeldy.  It has just recently been re-launched with new packaging.  This is pictured above and focuses on numerous aspects of the distillery's history and heritage, with the gold lettering paying homage to the discovery of gold particles in the local river.  This new identity, which is the first re-branding for Aberfeldy since 1999, forms part of a larger plan for its single malts - the current 21 years old expression has also been given new look, a new travel retail exclusive 18 years old has been added with more ages planned to join the 12 and 21 year olds in the core range.

Have just tried ... Aberfeldy 12 years old

Aberfeldy is a little known distillery in the eastern Highlands. It is owned by John Dewar & Sons. One of the reasons that it is little known is due to the fact that only a small percentage of the 2.5 million litres of whisky produced there every year is released as a single malt under the Aberfeldy name. The majority goes in to the blending of Dewar's white label, which is one of the world's leading selling blended whiskies, with Aberfeldy being marketed as 'the spiritual home of Dewar's whisky'. As a result, there are only two current releases of single malt - this 12 years old and a 21 years old. Independent bottlings are relatively hard to find also.

The colour is golden with a touch of copper to it and the nose is aromatic and promising. There is clear evidence that the whisky has been matured in a sherry cask, as there is a lot of concentrated dried fruit (think of raisins, sultanas and candied orange peel). On the palate, this is quite light and refreshing, yet complex at the same time. Immediately you get those sherry influenced notes from the nose and these mingle with a malty sweetness and hints of honey, vanilla, something spicy (nutmeg, I think) and some fresh citrus notes (imagine oranges). The finish is long, fresh, fruity and flavoursome with that spicy nutmeg note coming through again right at the end. This whisky was really good and would definately recommend it if you were looking for an 'undiscovered gem'. It is generally only available in independent retailers and should be between £25-30.