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New beginnings should always be marked with a truly magical moment. Turns out, Glenfiddich feels the same, because to celebrate the launch of its new limited edition 29-year-old Grand Yozakura aged in Japanese ex-awamori casks, the storied Scottish brand hosted a sparkling affair – under the cherry blossom, of course.
But first, the whisky…
If anyone were to take you through the journey of whisky, it should be Malt Master Brian Kinsman, the man in charge of the blending operation of the entire William Grant portfolio. “I always drink mine with a splash of water,” he tells me. A flight of Glenfiddich 21, 23, and 26 are placed in front of us, but what we’re really here to taste is the newly-released 29. The Grand Yozakura. As part of the brand’s Grand Series range, the whisky is named after the moment when cherry blossoms are viewed by moonlight, and is the first single malt in the world to be have spent 29 years maturing in American and oak casks at the Glenfiddich distillery before being finished in ex-awamori casks.
It opens up with a warming kaleidoscope of flavours that includes hazelnut, tropical fruits, caramels and vanilla toffee, with a rich smokiness and silky finish at the end. According to Brian, while there’s no right or wrong way to enjoy Glenfiddich, he suggests we drink our 29 with a splash of water – it does boast 45% ABV, after all.
“There are serious amounts of viscosity and legs that come down the glass,” Brian continues whilst swirling the 29 around in a tasting glass. “Those are long chain fatty acids. Acid esters. Whisky has 45% of these acids, so once we add a bit of water to it, it’ll go a bit cloudy. The awamori Japanese casks, however, have got a high ester content that has soaked into the root. So when the whisky is in the casks, the wood elements come back out and translate into a viscosity of flavours that’ll probably be a bit too strong for what your palette wants. But just let that evaporate away for five seconds and then you’ll get a nice lingering, silky, quite indulgent flavour.”
“The part that is most interesting to me is the science”, he hastens to add, clocking my incredulous face. No kidding, I think to myself.
Brian Kinsman studied chemistry at The University St. Andrews in Scotland, before becoming the sixth Master Blender in the history of William Grant & Sons back in 2009. “I didn’t know anything about the production of whisky,” says Brian. “After I left the university, I went to work as a chemist in a dental company making dental materials. It wasn’t overly stimulating, so then I tried to be the chemist at the grandest delivery for William Grant. From there, I did a lot of the root science, testing why things happen and what’s the chemistry behind it. I was fortunate enough to be David Stewart’s apprentice for about eight years. David Stewart was the 5th Malt Master for the Glenfiddich and Master Blender for the company, and I was fortunate enough to be his apprentice for about eight years.”
The world of whisky has long been viewed through a masculine lens, with the stereotype of it being a ‘man’s drink’ prevailing over the years. However, a seismic shift is underway, not least of which being Glenfiddich’s ‘Where Next? Women in Whisky’ campaign that saw a maverick group of female bartenders across the UAE create their own cocktails 12, 15, and 18-year-old editions.
“If you look at the brand’s family history, William Grant built everything with his wife and children,” says Claudia Falcone, Glenfiddich’s Global Brand Director. “His daughter had a fundamental role in the in the company – and we’re talking about the beginning of the 19th and 20th century here. Now, when I think about my peers at leadership and global brand director level, the gender split is pretty much equal. I do think we are in a privileged position in that respect, but generally in the industry things are changing, and, as women, it’s our responsibility to change the narrative.” Claudia began her career in the beer industry, and is now in charge of driving brand growth and innovation while at the same time guarding Glenfiddich’s image as the maker of the world’s most iconic and most stories single malt whisky label.
“I think women will love Grand Yozakura,” she continues. “The packaging is absolutely and the whisky is a beautiful drink, too. Personally, I love the collision of two different whisky traditions between Scotland and Japan. I find it very interesting how Brian has gone into this very unique and creative territory. It’s not been not done before and, as a big lover of Japan, it’s that unique combination and the cultural moment around it that makes it extra special. The 29 is not just about beautiful whisky, but its world that we are able to immerse ourselves in and the narrative around it.”
The thread that ties this whole Glenfiddich launch together? Maverick spirit.
“Maverick Spirit means I can do stuff like this,” Brian says as he gestures across the table of Glenfiddich’s Grand Series. “It means we’ve got freedom and a support network to do whatever we want to do. This is a family-run business that’s on the fifth generation, but they still give us the freedom to experiment with an unusual cask from Japan. Later we will ask them to try it and find out whether they love it or not. And if they don’t, it doesn’t matter, but you’ll learn from it and you’ll chalk up the experiences.
“We’re not constrained by the status quo,” adds Claudia. “We don’t accept no as an answer, and we’re in charge of our own future.”
Any journey worth the experience takes time, and Glenfiddich’s depiction of a 29-year-old single malt scotch whisky, Grand Yozakura, is one that will sit amongst the brand’s rich history for years to come. It marries centuries of craftsmanship, marrying traditional cultural elements with modern touches – and that’s just about as maverick as it gets.
