Bacardi Global Travel Retail has unveiled a premium Aberfeldy Madeira Cask collection.
The channel-exclusive range includes three aged single malts (40% ABV range/70cl bottles) that each feature a rich and complex Madeira cask finish. These are the Aberfeldy 12 Year Old Madeira Cask, Aberfeldy 16 Year Old Madeira Cask and Aberfeldy 21 Year Old Madeira Cask.
John Dewar & Sons Malt Master Stephanie Macleod said the wine from the Madeira casks complements the whisky’s rich character.
The previous travel retail range featured a 12 Year Old expression finished in a combination of sherry and bourbon casks.
The Madeira wines develop their distinct flavour profile through a unique ageing process in which the wine is repeatedly heated and cooled in seasoned oak casks. The casks are only half-filled to increase the wine’s exposure to oxygen.
Prized for their balance of crisp freshness and sweet nuttiness, Madeira wines can cellar for over a hundred years or more due to their stability.
The whiskies are housed in a specially embossed bottle with intricate gold foil. The packaging is made with plastic-free, recyclable materials, underlining Aberfeldy’s commitment to combining premiumisation with sustainability.
Bacardi also puts a strong focus on premiumisation amid the increasing global demand for single malt Scotch whisky. The drinks company highlights its strong pipeline of innovation to continue the strong growth of the Aberfeldy single malt.
John Dewar & Sons Malt Master Stephanie Macleod said: “Madeira is Aberfeldy’s best friend. This delicious wine perfectly complements Aberfeldy’s rich character.
“Aberfeldy is both approachable and complex and has the same sweet rich notes that Madeira wine is famed for. By finishing in Madeira casks, this new travel retail range gives consumers a point of difference while retaining Aberfeldy’s signature smooth taste.”
Bacardi Global Travel Retail Global Head of Marketing Ignacio Vazquez added: “We have created the new Aberfeldy GTR Madeira Cask range for the many whisky lovers and collectors in the know who come to travel retail to seek out new discoveries.
“Exclusivity has become an even more important purchase driver in travel retail since the pandemic, and the outstanding flavours in these whiskies personify Aberfeldy’s affinity with Madeira wine casks.”
Aberfeldy Distillery was founded in 1896 by John Dewar & Sons on the southern edge of the upper Tay Valley in Perthshire, Scotland.
The distillery continues to source its water from the Pitilie Burn, a stream renowned for its alluvial deposits of Scottish gold. It employs an extensive fermentation period and uses premium oak casks to produce distinctive fruity whiskies renowned for their honeyed richness.
Tasting Notes:
Aberfeldy 12 Year Old Madeira Cask (40% ABV, 70cl, US$58): An extra layer of complexity enhances this whisky’s signature sweet rich character. Aromas and flavours of vanilla, spiced fruits and honey come to the fore.
Aberfeldy 16 Year Old Madeira Cask (40% ABV, 70cl, US$120): Soft honey notes are freshened with citrus and delicate shades of baked apple, warming cinnamon and creamy vanilla.
Aberfeldy 21 Year Old Madeira Cask (40% ABV, 70cl, US$230): Baked figs, honey, walnut oil and rich dark chocolate flavours meld to create a rich, complex flavour profile. ✈
