Famous Grouse Wine Cask joins experimental series
Edrington-owned blended Scotch brand The Famous Grouse has added a whisky finished in ex-wine barrels to its experimental Cask Series.
The third release in the brand’s Cask Series was finished in Spanish red wine casks, which are said to produce a fuller bodied whisky that retains the “classic smoothness” of The Famous Grouse. The release joins the brand's Bourbon Cask and Ruby Cask bottlings in the Cask Series. Chris Anderson, head of brands at Edrington-Beam Suntory UK, said: “We place such importance on the quality of our wood, as it is such an integral part of bringing the product to life and we are delighted to be able to demonstrate this in an exciting, new way, through the launch of The Famous Grouse Wine Cask. “Wine cask finishing is still relatively new in the history of whisky but is quickly growing in popularity as distillers look to explore the extensive layers of flavour development. These innovations are contributing to the inauguration of an everyday premium category for blended Scotch whisky and this approach demonstrates our commitment to bringing fresh opportunities for growth within the category”. The new edition, which will launch exclusively in UK supermarket Waitrose and Partners this month, is said to have notes of dark chocolate, cherries, nutmeg and black pepper. John Vine, spirits buyer at Waitrose, said: "The Famous Grouse Wine Cask is an innovative launch which we hope will support the resurgence in blended Scotch, whilst offering an exciting alternative for those customers looking to explore a new category." Bottled at 40% ABV, The Famous Grouse Wine Cask carries an RRP of £21 (US$26).