Formula 1 Racing and and whiskey brands have joined forces before—Jack Daniel’s announced a multiyear partnership with McLaren a couple of years ago, and has released a few special edition bottles of Old No. 7 to mark the relationship. The latest partnership comes from the other side of the pond, as scotch whisky distillery Glenfiddich announced its own partnership with the Aston Martin Formula One Team at the Las Vegas Grand Prix yesterday. And to celebrate the news, the distillery is releasing one bottle of a 1959 vintage single malt whisky.
“This partnership between Glenfiddich and Aston Martin Formula One Team is rooted in a shared passion for excellence and innovation,” said Søren Hagh, CEO of William Grant & Sons, in a statement. What this actually means is, as always, a bit nebulous, but the partnership kicks off next year and will likely take the form of ad campaigns, special edition bottles, and famous drivers holding bottles of Glenfiddich (not while driving, of course, something that both Glenfiddich and Aston Martin make very clear).
To start, however, as mentioned above the distillery is releasing a 1959 vintage single malt, a whisky aged for a lengthy 65 years. According to the Glenfiddich marketing team, this whisky was put into its cask by Gordon Grant, the distillery’s third malt master, at at time when single malts were really uncommon (whisky was mostly used for blends back in those days). It was aged in a sherry butt, and official tasting notes describe oak, aged leather, tannin, and beeswax on the nose, followed by cloves, dates, walnuts, and dark chocolate on the palate and a dry tannic finish. “This limited edition 1959 bottling represents a pivotal moment in history—the year Aston Martin first entered Formula One and won Le Mans,” said malt master Brian Kinsman. “To honor this milestone, we delved deep into the Glenfiddich archives and unearthed this exceptional expression from that very year. It is a rare whisky that embodies the essence of this partnership, capturing the spirit of innovation and excellence that both Glenfiddich and Aston Martin have upheld for decades.”
If you’re interested in tasting this new Glenfiddich 1959 for yourself, you’re going to have to wait. According to a rep for the brand, details about the release and price of the whisky will come at a later point, but we will keep you updated on what is sure to be a very, very expensive single malt. In the meantime, you can find other Glenfiddich expressions available to purchase from ReserveBar, including the excellent new 31-year-old Grand Chateau.
