For the past years Aberfeldy has steadily expanded its Red Wine Cask series, experimenting with barrel finishes on their classic Highland single malt to explore new flavour dimensions without losing the distillery’s signature style. Previously the series featured barrels that held Malbec, Bordeaux or Napa valley wines, among others. The new Sangiovese release continues this path, pairing the house’s honeyed malt with one of Italy’s most iconic red grape varieties.
From Highlands to Tuscany, the Sangiovese finish
The Sangiovese casks for this limited edition bottling were sourced from vineyards in Tuscany, then emptied and shipped to Scotland to receive 18 year old Aberfeldy whisky. The idea behind this choice is to marry the soft, malt driven character of Aberfeldy with the fruit forward, elegant tannin structure typical of Sangiovese wines. As one of the creators behind the series puts it, the use of Sangiovese barrels allowed them “to give the whisky additional flavours of juicy red plums and ripe cherries”, while preserving the distillery’s hallmark sweetness.
By finishing in first fill ex Sangiovese red wine casks after the standard bourbon cask maturation, the whisky becomes something that reflects both terroirs, the pure Highland malt meets the warm, grape driven character of central Italy.
Tasting Profile
Nose: Heather honey and red berries, dark cherries, vanilla, light spice and a touch of soft oak. A subtle grassy or hay like note may emerge, with maybe a trace of butter or maraschino cherry complexity.
Taste: Velvet like, with toffee, baked apple, cherry compote, supple red plum and subtle oak spice (cloves or nutmeg). There is a gentle vinous undertone and soft tannins that marry with the characteristic honeyed sweetness of Aberfeldy.
Finish: Medium to long, warming and slightly spicy, with lingering dark fruit echoes (plum, cherry) and a hint of dried fruit and gentle oak. Some tastings note a confectionary or chocolate cake like depth alongside biscuit and caramel echoes, a nod to the distillery’s standard style.
For those who enjoy sipping neat, this Sangiovese finished Aberfeldy offers a refined balance between old school Scotch elegance and modern wine finishing depth. It also pairs particularly well with dark chocolate, berry based desserts or aged cheeses, ideal accompaniments to the wine cask driven fruit notes.
A new expression of house style
According to Aberfeldy’s Global Brand Ambassador Matthew Cordiner, the Red Wine Cask series is all about building on Aberfeldy’s heritage rather than rewriting it. He argues that the Sangiovese finish is a way to push boundaries creatively while safeguarding the distillery’s “golden dram” identity, the floral, cereal biscuity core, the syrupy elegance, the honeyed sweetness, even as the whisky explores the world of wine driven complexity.
Meanwhile Aberfeldy’s Master Blender Stephanie Macleod, who oversees the entire programme, emphasizes that each wine cask is carefully vetted. Only high quality Sangiovese barrels free from faults are allowed, and they are sampled monthly during the finishing period to ensure that the whisky absorbs just enough wine influence without overwhelming the distillery character.
Conclusion
The Aberfeldy 18 Years Sangiovese Red Wine Cask delivers a compelling blend of tradition and innovation. It is a whisky that respects the roots of the distillery, the Pitilie Burn water, the Highland single malt method, the classic bourbon cask foundation, while daring to evolve, giving fans a softer, fruitier, more vinous Sartorial twist. For whisky lovers curious about cask finishes that still feel like “true Scotch”, this Sangiovese finished Aberfeldy is a highly recommendable choice.
