“What you are drinking is not just whisky, but the terroir of Taiwan.” Glenfiddich Vino Formosa Cask Finish Single Malt Scotch Whisky “Spirit of Taiwan” is the product of a collaboration between James Chan, Glenfiddich’s Brand Ambassador (Taiwan), and winemaker Dr. Chen Chien-hao. The Taiwan-limited expression is available for pre-order from April 17, 2018. Only 301 bottles (55.6% ABV) will be available globally, at the price of TWD 35,000 per bottle. This is the first time casks used for ageing wine in Taiwan are used for finishing Scotch whisky in Scotland. The highly anticipated expression has already attracted attention as collectors in Europe have already been waiting for the pre-order. By releasing Glenfiddich Vino Formosa Cask Finish Single Malt Scotch Whisky “Spirit of Taiwan,” Glenfiddich has again proved its leadership in the single malt Scotch whisky market with the innovative move.

“Vino Formosa (Moscato Oro Vino Fortificato, NV)” is a fortified wine made from Taiwan’s golden muscat grapes; thewinemaking process is similar to the one of making Madeira. In 2005, the experimental production of Vino Formosa started at Domaine Shu Sheng in Waipu, Taichung. In 2010, the wine was selected by a Michelin starred chef and later became the first Taiwanese wine served in a Michelin 3-star restaurant in France. The wine has won multiple awards (6 Gold, 7 Silver, 1 Trophy) at 10 international wine competitions. When it received a trophy at the 2015 IWC (International Wine Competition), which is the highest honour in wine industry, it also wrote a glorious page in Taiwan’s winemaking history. “Vino Formosa Cask Finish,” a collaboration project between Glenfiddich’s James Chan and Dr. Chen, was launched the same year. James transported casks used for making Vino Formosa to Glenfiddich’s distillery in Scotland. After having discussed with Malt Master Brian Kinsman, hedecided to finish 24-year-old American oak cask whisky in those casks. After two years of maturing and waiting, “Spirit of Taiwan,”an expression of rich floral, fruity aromas and a sweet, smooth body, is finally completed in the Vino Formosa casks.

 “In 2012, Glenfiddich released the first expression of ‘Age of Discovery’ Collection – Madeira Cask Finish; the expression was finished in fine, aged Madeira casks. In order to study Madeira wine, I planned to visit Madeira Island, but I never got to go, and the plan was left unrealized. One day, a sommelier friend told me that I don’t have to go all the way to Madeira Island, because we have extraordinary Madeira wine right here in Taiwan. It’s produced by winemaker Dr. Chen Chien-hao at Domaine Shu Sheng in Houli, Taichung.” said James Chan, Glenfiddich’s brand ambassador. “I visited Dr. Chen at Domaine Shu Sheng, tasted the wine made from local grapes grown by Taiwanese farmers with Taiwan’s sunshine and water; I was very touched. So I asked myself, why don’t we work with Domaine Shu Sheng, send the casks to Glenfiddich for finishing, so that our Scotch whiskycan absorb the rich flavours of tropical fruits and elements of Taiwan? Why not? ” Six years later, with the kind help and support from many people of all fields, the international collaboration project “Vino Formosa Cask Finish” has finally borne sweet fruit.  

Winemaker Dr. Chen Chien-hao said, “I’m very honoured to be invited by Glenfiddich to participate in this international collaboration project and introduce Taiwan to the world. The sweet fruit of success cannot be borne overnight. Years of experiencein winemaking helped me realize that in front of Mother Nature, we are always just babies. Now I’m working with the Production and Marketing Group in Houli, Taichung, to build a new distillery, where we’ll use Taiwan’s sweet potatoes and rice to make shochu; hopefully we’ll be able to create the flavours of our local terroir. However, we not only need time to age and matureexquisite drinks, we also need winemakers to have Glenfiddich’s ‘Why not?’ spirit to experiment and explore, be brave and give it a try. The marriage between Vino Formosa and Glenfiddich is a symbol of our ‘Taiwan Spirit’ – the spirit of working hard together on our land and staying strong in the face of adversity.”

The packaging of Glenfiddich Vino Formosa Cask Finish Single Malt Scotch Whisky “Spirit of Taiwan” is designed by Golden Horse and Golden Melody awarded designer Joe Fang. From record cover, theatre, stage play to major award ceremony and exhibition curating, Fang has involved in a wide range of projects. The concept behind his design for the expression is “East Meets West: A Collision of Creativity.” Oriental elements and stories are blended into classic western motifs to fully illustrate the birth of the expression. The story begins from the bottom of the design: barrels, vines and grapes from Taichung’s Domaine Shu Sheng are shipped to a foreign land, where grapes and malts are interwoven in the coldness at Glenfiddich’s distillery; eventually they are matured by time and successfully transformed into shining glory. The elegant black wood is processed with delicate laser cutting and hot stamping work. Grunge design is applied by the designer to celebrate Glenfiddich’s long history and constant attempts to challenge itself while moving forward.

Matured in American oak for approximately 24 years this Glendiddich is rich in vanilla, oaky sweetness. The final 2 years of maturation in a Vino Formosa cask has lifted the fruitiness to a new level.

Nose：Rich and robust oakiness with an intense fruity character. The ripe apple and pear notes have been intensified during the maturation in a Vino Formosa cask resulting in hints of tropical fruits intertwined with subtle spices and sweet vanilla.

Taste：Beautifully sweet with a silky smooth and mellow palate.  The balance of rich fruits and oak delivers a long lasting journey of flavour.

Finish：Very long lasting with a lingering fruity sweetness.

Colour：Rich Gold

Launched: 2018

Available in: 70CL + 5CL sample

ABV: 55.6%
Cask No.: 15/3407-1
Bottles: 301