Aberfeldy 18 Years Old Cask #Batch 2924/A

Distilled at Aberfeldy and matured 18 years before a Red Wine cask finish, bottled at the distillery in 2024 at 46% under Batch 2924/A in the Wine Cask Series for the global market. The senior Red Wine sibling within the 2024 paired release, alongside the 15 year /B variant. The /A took the global distribution channel through John Dewar & Sons' travel retail and specialist accounts, while the /B took the European specialist trade. Both at the elevated 46% Wine Cask Series house specification, up from the 43% Limited Edition standard used in prior years.

Long fermentation Aberfeldy wash from the four still configuration, distilled under John Dewar & Sons (Bacardi) ownership. Initial American oak ageing for the bulk of the 18 year maturation followed by transfer into Red Wine casks for the finishing stretch. Bottled at 46% with reduced chill filtering under the Wine Cask Series house specification.

Eighteen years of American oak base maturation has fully developed the primary oak profile (vanillin from lignin breakdown, cis whisky lactones for coconut and dill, furanic compounds from hemicellulose for caramel) before the Red Wine finish is applied. The finish layer adds condensed tannins (proanthocyanidins, polymerised anthocyanins) and dried red fruit. At 46% Aberfeldy's house esters (ethyl laurate, ethyl myristate, heavier alcohols) hold a robust heather honey base against the wine tannin frame, with the longer base spirit giving more cask depth than the 15 year /B sibling.