Brian Kinsman explains Glenfiddich Grand Château 31 Year Old
Glenfiddich has officially released Grand Château 31 globally, marking its first foray into the use of Bordeaux red wine casks. Last week, Malt Master Brian Kinsman told Drinks Trade that the whisky didn’t turn out exactly as expected. It is partly for this happy surprise that he describes it as one of the whiskies he is most proud of having made during his 27 year career at William Grant & Sons.
“It’s so good. I love that whole thing of no plan and the plan slowly evolves over a very long time, and it’s led by how amazing the whisky is,” Kinsman told Drinks Trade.
“Essentially, we took these amazing quality casks and we put some 22 year old Glenfiddich into them, not really thinking this is going to do something. It just felt like, the experience I had on wine casks and the flavour of 22 year old would work. Then every year we looked at them, it just got better and better.”
Glenfiddich Grand Château 31 Year Old spent its first 22 years ageing in American oak prior to a further nine years spent in red wine casks from Bordeaux. Originally, the Bordeaux casks were only intended to be used for a finishing process of around six months.
Brian Kinsman explained: “The way we do cask finishes is you track them monthly. After a few months you track them three monthly. After a few months you track them six monthly and eventually you’re just looking at them annually just to see. Literally it was every time they came [up], we were like wow, this is just so good.”
Glenfiddich Grand Château 31 Year Old has an abv of 47.6% and is available now at an RRP of $2,930.
Read this Drinks Trade article for more information.
Cascade Origin Premium Lager
This week, Cascade Brewery has launched Origin, a new premium lager made exclusively from water sourced from Hobart’s kunyani / Mt Wellington, Tasmanian hops and locally-malted barley.
The 4.5% brew stands as the first major mainland release from Australia’s oldest brewery in more than decade and intentionally coincides with its 200th birthday year.
“Cascade Origin has been launched to mark Cascade’s 200th birthday, not just in the Apple Isle but in Sydney and Melbourne too,” said Brendan Flanagan, Head of Manufacturing at Cascade Brewery.
“This is a premium beer for special occasions… It is meticulously crafted and has that little bit extra to make it really special.”
According to Carlton & United Breweries, consumers should expect a bright, golden lager, with a light citrus hop aroma, rounded malt body, light bitterness and a crisp, refreshing clean finish.
Cascade Origin will be made available across selected Coles Liquor retail outlets in NSW and Victoria, along with selected venues in Sydney and Hobart and most Tasmanian liquor stores. The new beer has been bottled at 4.5% abv and retails at $30 per 6-pack and $96 per case of 24.
CUB brings Foster’s Classic back to Aussie shelves
Carlton & United Breweries has announced the return of Foster’s Classic to the Australian market as part of a three year exclusive ranging deal with Endeavour Group retail outlets. Originally launched 135 years ago in 1889, Foster’s Lager, later rebranded as Foster’s Classic, is widely considered to be the beer that put Australian brewing on the world map: “Whether you know it as The Amber Nectar, Australian for Beer or something else, Foster’s had a permanent impact on Aussie culture,” said Ben Eyles, Head of Beer at CUB.
Despite this, Foster’s began to fall out of favour in the late 1970’s/early 1980’s as consumer preferences tended towards other leading beer offerings from the major beer suppliers. While international sales have remained strong over the years, local sales have declined, with subsequent attempts to reintroduce Foster’s domestically struggling to achieve results of any major significance.
Ben Eyles is hopeful that the current trend towards nostalgia will help drive this year’s relaunch.
“Nostalgia is a huge consumer trend right now and Foster’s still commands large awareness among Australians,” he said.
Foster’s Classic is canned at an abv of 4% and is available now at more than 1600 Endeavour stores nationwide at $20 per 6-pack and $59 per case of 24.
Click here to read further insights from Gill Webb, Endeavour Group’s Head of Beer.
Brown Brothers expands further into Spritz
Brown Brothers has released two new Spritz flavours, Passionfruit Vanilla & Lime and Ginger & Lime. Both bottled at 8% abv in a 750ml format, the two new releases are hoping to capitalise on the in-trend category.
According to Emma Brown, Head of Innovation and fourth generation Brown family, “We wanted to introduce flavours that are easy to understand and have broad appeal.
“They can be placed in the middle of the table and shared amongst a group of friends for a
celebration or just simply to get together, they are fun and equally convenient.”
Both Ginger & Lime Spritz and Passionfruit, Vanilla and Lime Spritz are available now at an RRP of $22 per bottle.
Read more about the new releases here.
Turner Stillhouse launches Three Cuts Vodka
Tasmania’s Turner Stillhouse has launched its first ever vodka to market: Three Cuts Vodka. Distilled using a premium grape base, Tasmanian water, and a blend of three cuts of rose, the craft vodka release recently picked up a Bronze Award at the 2024 International Wine & Spirit Competition.
“We have always wanted to make a vodka, and creating something that is as pure and premium as every other spirit in the Three Cuts range was paramount,” said Justin Turner, Founder.
“We’re immensely proud to introduce this exceptional example of Tasmanian vodka to the world.”
Turner Stillhouse’s Three Cuts Vodka is available now via most local distributors along with via select distributors nationally. Click here to find your nearest stockist, or contact info@turnerstillhouse.com for further wholesale and stockist enquiries.
Read more about Turner Stillhouse in this Drinks Trade article.
