New limited edition single cask whisky from Glen Ord Distillery in Muir of Ord will be first in new Mey Selections Rare Cask Series from Scottish merchant Goldfinch – with donations from sales helping Highland communities through the North Highland Initiative charity
THE water of life is set to do its bit to inject fresh life into rural communities in the Highlands – thanks to a link up between a Ross distillery, a leading whisky merchant and the North Highland Initiative.
Scottish whisky merchant Goldfinch has released the first in its new Mey Selections Rare Cask Series – a limited edition single cask bottling of a rare first fill Oloroso sherry cask from Glen Ord Distillery in Muir of Ord.
Only 689 hand-numbered bottles of this unique 12-year-old single malt will be available, priced £118.
And donations from every bottle sold will help go towards supporting rural communities in the far north through the North Highland Initiative – the brains behind the North Coast 500 touring route.
The 12 Year Old release, the first of the Mey Selections Rare Cask Series from Goldfinch, has notes of spice, fruit and butterscotch, is non-chill filtered and natural in colour.
Andrew Macdonald-Bennett of Goldfinch said: “We are delighted to launch the Mey Selections Rare Cask Series with this exceptional limited edition sherry oak matured single cask bottling from Glen Ord. It is an outstanding whisky and we feel privileged to be able to offer this rare gem to whisky enthusiasts and collectors and to give back to the North Highland community at the same time.”
The Rare Cask Series has been selected for Goldfinch by top whisky maker Max McFarlane who sampled whiskies all over the north of Scotland to choose samples for the new rare cask series.
He said: “The Glen Ord cask had superior sensory and palate qualities. The liquid has wonderful flavours of a sherry cask filled with whisky for the first time. It is fresh and fruity on the nose with hints of white grapes and aromatic spices followed by a breath of warm butterscotch. Beautifully formed and well rounded on the palate, with sweet notes of vanilla and prunes enriched by suggestions of malted barley and linseed oil.
"A whisper of light spice heralds a deliciously smooth and lingering finish. Add all this to good maturation and natural colour and we have a product fit for a King.”
Sherry casks are only used in a small percentage of whisky maturation because the casks are in limited supply and cost ten times more than a bourbon cask. The flavour and colour that the casks impart are coveted by whisky fans.
Mey Selections Rare Cask Series - Glen Ord is available now from Goldfinch Whisky Merchants at www.goldfinchwhisky.com, as well as from Wood Winters, The Scottish Gantry, Master of Malt and Valhalla’s Goat.
