Glenfiddich Cask of Dreams Nordic Oak 48.8% is a rare and exclusive single malt whisky created as a tribute to Nordic whisky enthusiasm and Glenfiddich’s pioneering spirit.
This limited edition was launched in 2012 as part of Glenfiddich’s “Cask of Dreams” initiative, where the distillery toured Denmark, Sweden, Norway, and Finland with 13 specially crafted Nordic oak casks. Whisky fans were invited to write their dreams directly on the casks, which were then shipped to Scotland and filled with mature Glenfiddich whisky for finishing.
ABV: 48.8%
Cask type: Nordic Oak – a rare and powerful wood that adds spicy depth and warmth
Limited release: Approx. 3,500 bottles
Distillery: Glenfiddich, Speyside
Bottling: Distillery release, 2012
Nose: Fresh and slightly restrained at first, opening with vanilla, pear, citrus, and a hint of flowers and oak
Taste: Sweet with vanilla and icing sugar, followed by fruity notes (apple, orange, lemon) and spicy warmth from oak, pepper, and caramelized ginger
Finish: Medium length with sweet vanilla, lightly dry oak, and a pleasant warmth of orange peel and spice
This was the first time Glenfiddich used Nordic oak for maturation – a bold decision given the unknown influence of the wood. One participant’s dream came true: a trip to the Isle of Man TT races. The launch was celebrated with an exclusive tasting aboard Viking Line’s whisky festival on the ship Cinderella.
Glenfiddich Cask of Dreams Nordic Oak is both a collector’s item and a unique tasting experience, combining classic Speyside character with Nordic wood and exceptional storytelling.
Distillery: Glenfiddich Cask of Dreams Nordic Oak
Age: NA
Type: Single Speyside Malt Whisky
ABV: 48.8%
Cask: Nordic Oak
Bottles: Approx. 3,500
Volume: 70 cl
Other: 13 casks for the Nordic market
Listen to our podcast:
GLENFIDDICH LAYING WHISKY ON NORDIC OAK BARRELS AFTER TOUR OF DENMARK By J. Nedergaard Wet Danish dreams:Glenfiddich, the world's most award-winning and Danes' favorite malt whisky, has been touring Denmark this fall with their Cask of Dreams. That is, two men in a Glenfiddich Land Rover along with a Nordic oak cask (for an upcoming whisky), on which everyone who has met the unique spectacle has been able to write their personal dream - and win the opportunity to see the dream come true, as well as trips to the Scottish distillery. The tour has been a tribute to Glenfiddich's founder William Grant, who had a dream of making the best dram in the valley. The tour was designed to inspire people to formulate and pursue their dreams. 13 brand new Nordic oak whisky casks were transported around Denmark, Sweden, Norway and Finland to over 100 cities. In Denmark, nine different cities were visited, where passers-by as well as invited guests at tastings were given the opportunity to write their dreams directly on one of the touring casks. In September, the cask visited Kalundborg, Holstebro, Vejle and Helsingør. And in the autumn holidays, the Cask of Dreams tour came to Køge, Haslev, Nørresundby/Aalborg, Nykøbing Falster, while the tour ended in Copenhagen on Saturday, October 20. Suggestions and online voting Everyone who wrote their dream on the cask participated in the competition to have their dream fulfilled. Those who were not able to visit one of the stops on the tour could, and perhaps still can, participate in the competition on the website www.myglenfiddichdream.com. On the site, visitors vote (in the present tense, as the competition is still available at the time of writing) for the dream they think deserves to win. Those who vote, together with Glenfiddich, will select ten finalists, all of whom will win a trip to Glenfiddich's distillery in Scotland. The final winner will also receive DKK 40,000 to realize their dream. There's more But the dream isn't the whole story, because the empty casks that were rolled around are made from Nordic oak at a Swedish cooperage, and after the cask in Denmark has been filled with dreams, it awaits casks from the other Nordic countries and makes the trip back to Scotland; back to the distillery where it will be filled with mature Glenfiddich to get the world's first Nordic oak finish for a Scotch whisky. This is the first time in Scotland, and in Glenfiddich's 125-year history, that Nordic oak has been used to age Scotch whisky. The Nordic oak cask, along with 12 other Nordic casks, will be transported to Dufftown, Glenfiddich's hometown in the Scottish Highlands, during November. Here, the casks will be filled with Glenfiddich Single Malt Whisky to be infused with the Nordic oak over the following months. Malt Master at Glenfiddich, Brian Kinsman, will personally decide when the whisky is ready to be bottled. "The exciting thing is that we don't quite know yet how the Nordic oak will affect the flavor and that we are helping to write both Nordic and Scottish history by using Nordic oak for Scotch whisky," says brand ambassador David Francis from William Grant & Sons, the company named after the founder of Glenfiddich. It was William Grant who founded Glenfiddich 125 years ago, and today the 5th generation still owns and produces the whisky. Ready for spring "Probably sometime in March 2013, Brian Kinsman will have smelled the thirteen casks for the last time - preparing them for emptying and then bottling. The whisky from the Nordic casks will be a limited edition, and we expect it to be a collector's item not only for the thousands of whisky enthusiasts in Denmark and the Nordic region, but far beyond. We've already had the first many inquiries," says Product Manager for William Grant & Sons Jens Tholstrup, the mastermind behind the Nordic oak project. When we spoke to him, over 3,000 of the bottles had been pre-booked by customers in the Nordic region, and he had received inquiries from collectors in Asia, North America, South America and several parts of Europe. Where and when? In total, there will be around 3,500 Cask of Dreams bottles in Scandinavian stores, where they are expected to be available in May 2013 (it is difficult to predict the exact number, as a small percentage of the whisky evaporates during maturation). The bottles will be available in selected stores. The price is expected to be around 750 DKK per bottle, but then the alcohol strength is also well above 40%, in fact 48.8% is the expected strength at bottling.Glenfiddich Cask of Dreams Nordic Oak In 1887, William Grant achieved his lifelong dream of building the Glenfiddich distillery. In celebration of the 125th year of his achievement, 13 casks will be rolled through the Nordic countries from August to November 2012 capturing the hopes and dreams of the Nordic people. In November 13 empty casks will be sent to the Glenfiddich distillery in Dufftown in the Highlands of Scotland where they will be filled with mature Glenfiddich single malt for a "Nordic Oak Finish". The finishing period will last two to three months and the Nordic oak will give its unique character to the Glenfiddich . By March or April 2013, the finish in the Nordic oak casks will be complete, and it will be time for bottling the Glenfiddich Cask of Dreams Nordic Oak Single Malt Scotch Whisky. It will be expected to reach markets by April or May 2013. As this is the first of its kind, collectors across the world are expected to try to get hold of one or more of the limited release 3.800 bottles which the 13 Nordic Oak casks are expected to produce. Never before has a Scotch single malt been finished in a Nordic Oak cask.As it says on the bottle: "This unique, limited edition Glenfiddich was created by finishing its maturation using just 13 Nordic Oak casks. It is an expression of one man fulfilling his dream and inspiring others to achieve theirs. With this rare limited edition bottling, Glenfiddich follows the footsteps of its pioneering founder by being the first single malt Scotch whisky to be finished in casks made only from Nordic oak - thus continuing the historic bond between Scotland and the Nordic countries - a link that goes back through fishermen, farmers, even footballers - all the way back to the Vikings that dreamed of finding new land. This is one of only 3800 unique bottles."
