Kininvie The First Drops 25 Year Old Special Release #1

The First Drops 25 year old is the very first whisky distilled at Kininvie, filled into an ex-bourbon hogshead named Cask 21 on the first day of the distillery’s operation and bottled twenty five years later. Fruity, spicy, cask strength and non chill filtered, this is a truly historic bottling of just five hundred 35cl bottles.

Owned by William Grant & Sons, who also own Glenfiddich and Balvenie, the Speyside distillery Kininvie is located in Dufftown. It was opened on 5 July 1990 by Janet Sheed Robert, William Grant’s granddaughter who lived to almost 111 years old. Kept rather secret by William Grant & Sons, it has long been used as a component of the premium blended malt Scotch whisky Monkey Shoulder, the other components coming from Balvenie and Glenfiddich. Dave Broom says: “stylistically the [Kininvie] whisky is a midpoint between its two sisters…. on the floral side of the spectrum... yet it is substantially different from its siblings.”

One of the youngest and most intriguing distilleries in Scotland, Kininvie sits on the grounds of Balvenie and shares a mash house (complete with dedicated mash tun and washbacks) with its neighbour. Water is drawn from the Conval Hills, the still shapes are similar to Glenfiddich’s and Kininvie’s distillery manager says: “We have cherished and nurtured these casks since 1990 knowing they contained incredible whisky. Now the time is right to share the first drops of our history.”

All previous releases from the distillery (including those under the Hazelwood name) have sold out immediately. Having been lucky enough to taste this historic single malt, we fully expect it to follow suit...