Glenfiddich makes an unexpected pairing for its latest release

For the fifth edition of Glenfiddich's Experimental Series, the whisky brand has teamed up with The Somerset Cider Brandy Company for an unexpectedly delicious dram.

Glenfiddich Orchard Experiment |  The Apple Orchard, a Glenfiddich cocktail, sits in an apple orchard

Innovation is a key component in the world of food and beverage. But how do we create classics if we're constantly changing the landscape? Glenfiddich, the world’s most-awarded single malt Scotch whisky, has found a way to disrupt the status quo without compromising on excellence. The Orchard Experiment, the brand’s fifth expression of The Experimental Series, sees the whisky brand collaborate with The Somerset Cider Brandy Company to create a truly unique dram.  

Orchard Experiment Tasting Notes

Classic Glenfiddich notes of fresh pear and ripe orchard fruits have been elevated and accentuated by a finishing period in Somerset Pomona Spirit casks to create a rich harvest of crisp orchard fruit flavours — ABV 43 per cent

NOSE: A classic Glenfiddich with a wonderfully fresh pear fruitiness balanced with delicate oak notes.
TASTE: An initial burst of ripe orchard fruits on the palate softens and develops into sweet, creamy toffee, caramelized apple and woody spice.
FINISH: Long-lasting sweetness.

Known for its pioneering spirit, Glenfiddich has created the first single malt whisky to be finished in Somerset Pomona Spirit Casks. The Orchard Experiment was created using select Glenfiddich liquid matured in American Oak while held in Glenfiddich’s Experimental Warehouse. It was then finished for approximately four months in sweet Somerset Pomona Spirit Casks, an exquisite apple spirit, to create a distinctive and fruity whisky.

Glenfiddich's Experimental Series was created to push boundaries within the whisky category, and part of the remit means teaming up with like-minded partners. The Temperley family, founders and owners of The Somerset Cider Brandy Company, is no stranger to experimentation. In 1989, they secured the U.K.’s first-ever full cider-distilling licence and crafted the first commercial cider brandy in Somerset for over 300 years. 

Glenfiddich The Orchard Experiment | A hand holds a bottle of The Orchard Experiment in a field

For over 200 years, The Temperley Farm in Somerset, UK, has been pressing cider across 180 acres of apple orchard and tending to 10,000 apple trees by hand. Pesticides are never used at the sustainably minded farm, and bee ‘hotels’ are set up for natural pollination. 

Somerset Pomona is an apple digestif named after a Roman goddess. It's made from fresh, farm-pressed apple juice and Somerset cider brandy and matured in apple brandy casks for up to two years. The same casks were used to finish Glenfiddich Orchard Experiment, pairing the whisky's depth and intensity with the delicate sweetness of crisp Somerset apples.

The Apple Orchard

Made with Glenfiddich Orchard Experiment, this is a beautifully simple, delicious and refreshing signature serve.

Glenfiddich The Orchard Experiment | The Apple Orchard, a Glenfiddich cocktail, sits next to apples and a jigger

Serves 1

Preparation time 5 minutes

Ingredients

  • 50 ml Glenfiddich Orchard Experiment
  • 150 ml fresh apple juice
  • Apple
  • Mint leaves

Method

  1. Fill a tumbler glass with ice.
  2. Add Glenfiddich Orchard Experiment and apple juice to the glass and stir.
  3. Garnish with an apple fan and mint leaves (clap them to release the flavour).
  4. Serve and enjoy.

“Over the past few years, we have had the opportunity to explore new sources for casks," says Brian Kinsman, Glenfiddich’s Malt Master of The Orchard Experiment. "I was intrigued by the possibility of using Somerset Pomona Spirit Casks to enhance and elevate the core Glenfiddich character of apples and pears."

Glenfiddich The Orchard Experiment | The Somerset Cider Brandy Company's apple orchard

Whisky lovers will appreciate the classic pear and oak notes on the nose, while the ripe orchard fruits, giving way to toffee, caramelized apple and spice, make the Orchard Experiment an approachable dram for those new to Glenfiddich.

"I am delighted with the end result," says Kinsman. "I think we have created a beautiful expression of Glenfiddich that is true to our D.N.A. with just a hint of autumnal Somerset sunsets — truly an Orchard Experiment."

Buy Glenfiddich Orchard Experiment Now

Loading