By-

Varun Singhania

IIHM KOLKATA

Batch 2012-2015

September 2014

History Distillery was founded by William Grant in 1887.

Descendants, still own and manage the Distillery.

Location: In the field of Glenfiddich ('The valley of the deer') near Dufftown, Speyside, Scotland.

In the summer of 1886, William grant with his seven sons and two daughters began building his Distillery by hand, stone by stone.

After a single year of work it was ready and named it Glenfiddich.

The Glenfiddich In 1923 William’s grandson Grant Gordon joins the family firm,

surprises the industry and increases whisky production.

In 1957 Charles Gordon, William’s great grand son, insists on having coppersmiths onsite at the Distillery.

In 1959 Gordon Grant builds up a dedicated cooperage.

2001- oldest single malt whisky released. In 1937, cask 843 was filled. Ten consecutive Warehouse Masters watched over it, the angels took their share. Leaving only 61 bottles of this very rare whisky.

2010- Snow fall collapses some warehouse roofs exposing precious, maturing casks to the winter sky. Workers saved each cask and “snow phoenix” out of the best.

2011 The most expensive single malt sells at auction.

Production Process

A single malt is defined as whisky made from malted barley, at a single distillery, aged for at least three years in either American oak or European (Spanish) oak casks, and bottled at a minimum ABV of 40%.

Actually it can be the produce of one cask, but more often than not, it's the produce of a selection of casks.

BLENDS VS. SINGLE MALTS Blends are very different to single malts. They tend to be much younger, contain whiskies from more

than one distillery, and can contain different kinds of whisky, such as grain whisky, which is usually bolder in flavour.

Blended whisky accounts for a large proportion of the world’s sales. But while there are certainly many good blends, the most highly rated whiskies are almost always single malts.

mixture of specially-sourced barley, ground down and added to the Robbie Dhu spring water, is heated to 64°C.

The porridge-like ‘mash’ turns to sugar, dissolving into a fine sweet, tangy liquid called wort.

The wort is drained, cooled and passed into vats – ‘hand built Douglas Fir wash backs’, where yeast is added and fermentation begins.

This is where our characteristic pear notes are created. As the temperature dies down after two to three days, a rich brown ‘wash’

of up to 9% ABV is left, ready for distillation. The mashman records the temperatures, volumes and sugar gravities of

each Wash Back up on the chalkboard.

(MALTING, MASHING & FERMENTING)

Wash is heated and condensed in copper Wash Stills for its first distillation, and a second time in Spirit Stills.

With exacting judgement, using a hydrometer, Stillman executes a high ‘cut point’.

He turns the tap on to the spirit safe to the precise point - a point set by the founder over a century ago.

The newly distilled spirit flows in – the very ‘sweetest’ part of the distillate.

Characteristically clean, estery, sweet and fruity.

It’s about 70% ABV and ready to be matured.

(HEART OF DISTILLATE)

COPPER SCULPTOR

The shape of copper stills are kept strictly identical to those first used.

Copper is a soft, malleable metal that needs care, time and generations of cultivated understanding.

Since 1957, specialist craftsman onsite tend to all 28 of the uniquely shaped and sized copper stills.

This tradition is important and contributes to a superior tasting whisky.

Distillation is carried out.

The distillate that is not deemed pure enough, called the ‘feints’, is redistilled.

(DISTILLATION)

(WOODMAN)

Long-serving Head Cooper builds, mends and chars the casks with centuries-old knowledge and tools.

At the onsite cooperage, one of the only remaining, he works alongside his team of highly experienced coopers tending to around 126 casks every day.

It’s a great responsibility to be working with the oak that will give as much as 65% of the whisky its flavour as it matures.

(WATCHMAN)

Warehouses stacked with casks of gently maturing single malt Scotch whisky are watched over by experienced warehousemen.

Checking casks for leaks, taking samples for the Malt Master and keeping a watchful eye over the marrying process.

They call on the expert coopers if there’s a problem.

Ever watchful, they keep the Malt Master up to date with the precious, ageing malts.

MATURATION

The finest American oak and Spanish Oloroso oak casks are hand selected by the Head Cooper.

The casks are mellowed by years of previous use.

The American oak once held bourbon. The European oak held fine sherry.

Oak is toasted or charred to caramelise its wood sugars and open up the oak’s flavour-giving properties.

Robbie Dhu spring water is added to our new-make spirit to 63.5% alcohol, and our casks are filled.

Casks spend long years in dark, damp warehouses, breathing in Highland air.

Watched over by the warehousemen, the casks wait patiently until they are primed for bottling.

(MARRYING AND BOTTLING)

Innate skill, drive and dedication underlie a Malt Master’s ability to nose, taste and develop exceptional whiskies.

Introduced to smooth out fluctuations in flavour naturally occurring in maturing whiskies.

Once whiskies have reached maturity, they are combined in oak marrying tuns.

Here, spirits from different casks mellow and gather great consistency and harmony until the Malt Master decides they are ready for bottling.

This knowledge has been passed down by Malt Masters through the ages – so we can enjoy over 125 years of wisdom in every glass.

Variants

Classics

Bibliography We enjoyed working on this presentation which revealed facts which were not very familiar to us.

We are glad to present our topic on ‘Glenfiddich single malt.’

The information here has been collected from the Glenfiddich official website : http://www.glenfiddich.com/

The Pictures are collected from the google search engine, Instagram and the above website as well.

Thank you