Scotch enchanted evening
Published: 02/23/2011 by Mina Williams
What was introduced was a treat - Glenfiddich's limited edition Snow Phoenix.
This whisky, born of chance and adversity, began as all fine Scotch whiskeys do...in casks. However on Jan. 7, 2010, in the most remote part of the distillery estate a number of warehouse roofs dramatically collapsed under the weight of more than four feet of densely compacted snow. This destruction left maturing oak casks exposed to the night sky in wintery conditions with temperatures dipping -19-degrees Celsius.
As the distillery staff worked 'round the clock to clear the snow in hopes of saving a barrel or two, Glenfiddich Malt Master, Brian Kinsman stood amongst the wrecked and exposed casks and had an epiphany: "I was thinking about how the casks, some of which were very old, contained some beautiful whisky and it occurred to me that they would create a fantastic non-aged single malt."
The result: a limited edition bottling (only 12,000 bottles bound for the U.S., 50 cases to Washington state) that came from the damaged warehouses - an appropriate way of celebrating the pioneering spirit of the distillery team.
A photographer was called in to commoderate the scene and when Kinsman and his team looked at the photos, the light shining through the warehouse roofs looked like a phoenix rising. Glenfiddich's Snow Phoenix was dubbed.
Snow Phoenix is a single malt, gold in color with copper highlights. Creamy vanilla mingles with notes of apple and pear on the nose. The taste reminds one of apples roasted on a campfire, with a hink of honey and a whiff of burned sugar and woodsmoke.
This one of a kind, limited edition single malt Scotch whisky is available to members of the online club, Glenfiddich Explorers.
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