The Glenlivet has teamed up with Scottish brewer Innis & Gunn to release its first cask-finished single malt.
Released to coincide with International Beer Day on 4 August, the limited-edition Glenlivet 9 Years Old Beer Cask Finish Edition has been finished in a cask that formerly held Innis & Gunn's Vanishing Point Imperial Stout. The finishing casks had originally come from The Glenlivet, having been loaned to Innis & Gunn for the maturation of its limited-edition Vanishing Point 06.
It is not only the Speyside distillery's first use of a beer cask for finishing, but also a first for the portfolio of its parent group Chivas Brothers. Tasting notes supplied by The Glenlivet say to expect notes of dark cherry tart, golden syrup, tropical fruit, and nutmeg, with a subtle influence of hops.
The whisky has been released as part of The Glenlivet's Distillery Reserve Collection, which champions experimentation in the distillery's whisky-making processes.
Chivas Brothers cask expert Kevin Balmforth said: “At The Glenlivet we strive to experiment, and working with Innis & Gunn’s wonderful casks was the opportunity to do just that, marking our first foray into finishing whisky in a beer cask.”
Dougal Gunn Sharp, founder and master brewer at Innis & Gunn, said: “Our collaboration with The Glenlivet is as natural as it is exciting. We have a strong kinship with The Glenlivet and are united by a hunger to experiment and innovate, and by the ingredients at the heart of our products – grain and casks.
“For a few years now we have exchanged casks with one another, and our latest Vanishing Point 06 was matured in former The Glenlivet casks. We returned those casks to The Glenlivet for the finishing of their Distillery Reserve Collection: 9-Year-Old Beer Cask Finish Edition. It is a wonderful, unique expression and has picked up the rich fruity, malty and hoppy notes from our beer.”
The Glenlivet Distillery Reserve Collection: 9 Years Old Beer Cask Finish Edition is available at The Glenlivet brand home and on the distillery website, priced at £95.
