Some collaborations are built around a shared name. Others are rooted in a shared philosophy. For Glenfiddich and Aston Martin, it is a devotion to craftsmanship, precision and timeless design.
The evening began at The Connaught Bar with The Racing Stag, a cocktail combining Glenfiddich 18-Year-Old, Galliano L’Aperitivo, aged rum and sweet vermouth infused with orange leaves. The bitterness was pronounced, but all the flavours came through clearly, making it a strong, layered opening to the evening. Dinner followed at Q London, Aston Martin’s space in Berkeley Square, where the main event was the new Glenfiddich 28 Years Old.
Unveiled on 4 November, this limited-edition single malt brings together two worlds where patience and detail are everything: decades of whisky-making expertise on one side, more than a century of automotive design on the other.
Crafted Across Oak
Malt Master Brian Kinsman brings together three distinctive cask influences. Virgin American oak adds deeper spice and vanilla, European oak Oloroso sherry-seasoned hogsheads bring richness and texture, while traditional ex-bourbon casks retain the orchard-fruit character that defines Glenfiddich.
Kinsman described the process as a search for balance, allowing each whisky’s strongest qualities to complement the others rather than compete.
In the Glass
On the nose, the official tasting notes highlight creamy toffee, vanilla shortcake and cotton candy, with burnt orange and zesty shredded marmalade emerging when a little water is added. The palate is soft and mellow, with an indulgent, mouth-coating texture, strong oak tannins balanced by delicate vanilla sweetness. The finish is very oaky, with tangy, warming spice. What surprised me most was a honey-like sweetness that arrived right at the end. It wasn’t immediate or overpowering. Instead, it appeared quietly as an aftertaste, almost catching me by surprise. A little moment of discovery that made me want another sip.
Where Whisky Meets Design
The packaging was developed with Aston Martin’s design team, combining the marque’s signature Podium Green, copper detailing and Glenfiddich’s iconic stag emblem. Flowing forms and layered details echo the lines of Aston Martin’s cars, making it a collector-worthy piece.One idea from the evening stayed with me: that a great creation should remain desirable long after its first moment. Aston Martin’s designers put beauty and proportion at the centre, while Glenfiddich relies on generations of accumulated experience. Technology can refine the process, but human instinct remains essential.
A Look Back
The partnership has also made a statement beyond the tasting room. To celebrate the Glenfiddich & Aston Martin Formula One™ Team 16-Year-Old Limited Edition Release No. 2, the two brands unveiled Car in a Bottle, a 15-metre installation at London’s King’s Cross featuring a full-size replica Formula One car inside an oversized Glenfiddich bottle.
The whisky itself is matured across five cask types, bringing together layers of orchard fruit, elegant oak and lasting sweetness.
A Final Pour
The evening closed with a single-cask Glenfiddich filled in the 1970s and left to mature undisturbed. Unlike the carefully married casks of the 28-Year-Old, it offered a snapshot of a single moment in the distillery’s history.
Some things make an immediate impression, while others take decades to come into their own. With this collaboration, Glenfiddich and Aston Martin remind us that true luxury lies in the time, thought and craftsmanship behind the finished piece.
The Glenfiddich 28 Years Old is priced at £650 and will be available from January 2027 in the United States and selected global travel retail outlets.
