How Wood Imparts The Flavour of Glenfiddich Whisky
Here at Glenfiddich, the quality and lineage of the casks we use is key to ending up with the highest quality whisky possible – as much as 60% of our whisky’s flavour comes from the cask it is matured in.
Glenfiddich casks are crafted by the most skilled of men: the cooper. A job which takes guile, physical strength and years of training to master; the vessels they make must eventually cradle precious single malt whisky, often for decades, and work in partnership with the spirit to deliver something unique, rare and of the upmost quality.
We recently chatted to Ian McDonald, Head Cooper at the Glenfiddich Distillery, and an integral member of the team for over 45 years, about the importance of the casks we use and, more specifically, just how the wood they are made from impacts the award-winning taste of our whisky.