About this whisky

Glenfiddich is still owned by the family of William Grant, who built the Dufftown distillery with his children in 1887 and drew its water from the nearby Robbie Dhu spring. The 18 Year Old is a patient, small-batch whisky: spirit matured for eighteen years in Spanish Oloroso sherry casks and American bourbon casks is married in small batches, so the flavours knit together before bottling. Age brings out a deeper, mellower side of the distillery's fruity character.

It is rich and rounded, with ripe orchard fruit, baked apple and robust oak on the nose, then dried fruit, candied peel and dates on the palate, leading to a long, warming finish. This is the bottle to choose when you want to mark an occasion, whether a wedding, a promotion or a Diwali visit to someone special, and it is equally at home after a long Bengali feast. Enjoy it neat or with a few drops of water.

Key facts

• Matured for 18 years in Oloroso sherry and bourbon casks
• Married in small batches
• Distillery built by William Grant and his family in Dufftown in 1887, and still family-owned
• 70cl bottling is 40% ABV; the US bottling is 43%

Tasting notes

Nose:

ripe orchard fruit, baked apple and robust oak

Palate:

dried fruit, candied peel and dates with refined oak

Finish:

long and warming

Serve

Neat or with a few drops of water.

Food pairing

Pair with Kolkata-style mutton biryani, or with dates, walnuts and an aged cheddar.