Glenfiddich launch surprise ‘beer whisky’
The IPA Experiment is brewing up a storm
Words: Jonathan Wells
Over the years, Glenfiddich have played with whisky in some curious ways. From Glenfiddich Malt Whisky Liqueur – an alcoholic drink that wasn’t quite scotch – to limited editions including the Malt Master’s Edition and 2010’s Snow Phoenix, the Speyside single malt company aren’t afraid to innovate.
But today comes the news of the Glenfiddich Experimental Series, a small range of whiskies pushing the envelope of Scotch and allegedly “rewriting the rulebook” of this celebrated Scottish spirit.
The first pioneering expression in the series, The IPA Experiment, has been created in conjunction with IPA expert and founder of the Speyside Craft Brewery Seb Jones – with whom Glenfiddich have created a new craft ale that is added to their single malt in a groundbreaking way.
Malt Master Brian Kinsman has seasoned traditional whisky casks by collaborating with a local Speyside craft brewer. Kinsman helped to create a bold and zesty IPA beer which was then used to imbue these rich oak casks with extra hoppy notes – and the experiment resulted in the first single malt Scotch whisky ever finished in craft IPA casks.
The result is an expression imbued with the unique zesty citrus notes of ripe green apples, William’s pear and spring blossom. Rich golden in colour, the IPA Experiment has a vibrant taste with a zesty citrus note followed by creamy vanilla. A subtle tang of fresh hops and herbs complements the whisky and both tastes combine for a long lasting sweet finish.
“Only by unlearning what we know and collaborating with like-minded mavericks can we try new things,” says Malt Master Brian Kinsman, “experiment, push whisky boundaries and challenge traditions. The idea behind the Glenfiddich IPA experiment was quite unusual, but one we were passionate about – we wanted to really play with the flavours to see what we could create.”
The Glenfiddich Experimental Series IPA Cask is now available for £44.95
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