Aberfeldy has teamed up with Argentinian winery Finca Ambrosia to launch a 21-Year-Old Whisky finished in Malbec barrels.
It’s nothing new to see whisky aged in wine barrels. After all, France, Portugal, Spain, and Italy are just a stone’s throw from Scotland. But maturing whisky in wine casks from Argentina requires a whole other level of effort. But that’s just what Aberfeldy has done as it’s launched a new 21-Year-Old Whisky finished in Malbec barrels.
To make the Scotch, Aberfeldy’s Stephanie Macleod and Finca Ambrosia winemaker Matias Macias came together to share their skill and expertise in selecting former Malbec French Oak casks to finish Aberfeldy 21 Years Old in. Distilled on November 14, 2001 and matured for over two decades in a combination of re-fill barrels and hogsheads, the whisky was then finished for a period of around 9 months in Malbec French Oak wine casks sourced from Finca Ambrosia Single Estate winery in Argentina.
The red wine casks bestow fruit depth and spicy complexity to the whisky. The nose is delicate, yet complex with the Finca Ambrosia cask finish delivering notes of sweet, toasted cereal as well as sage and rosemary. Ripe strawberries, Highland honey and notes of blackcurrant develop throughout, melting into floral notes of rose, violet, and cinnamon spice. On the palate, the fruit sings before giving way to a soothing, creamy vanilla, followed by a long, smooth finish.
Bottled at 46% ABV, the Aberfeldy 21 Years Old Finished in Argentinian Malbec Wine Casks is priced at £230.00 ($291 USD) per 700ml bottle. For more information, head over to the brand’s official website.
Last summer, Aberfeldy introduced the latest addition to its Red Wine Cask Collection, the Aberfeldy 15 Years Old Limited Edition. The whisky was finished in cabernet sauvignon wine casks sourced from Napa Valley.