Masters What Others Can't See: Glenfiddich 16 Year Old Aston Martin Formula One™ Team Limited Edition, Release No. 2
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by James Pham,
2 min reading time
Release No. 2 of the Glenfiddich x Aston Martin Formula One™ Team Limited Edition — a 16 Year Old expression finished across four cask types, bottled at 43% ABV. RRP £75.
There's a moment in Formula One that never makes it to the broadcast. It happens months before the car reaches the circuit — in a wind tunnel, in a simulation, in a decision about where the mass of the car should sit next season. By the time anyone sees the finished result, the real work is already done.
Glenfiddich's Malt Master, Brian Kinsman, works the same way. The whisky you taste is the end of a process that started years earlier, in a decision about which cask to use, in what order, and for how long. Neither craft rewards the person looking for a shortcut. Both reward patience, precision, and the willingness to keep refining something long after most people would call it finished.
That shared instinct is the foundation of the Glenfiddich x Aston Martin Formula One™ Team partnership — and Release No. 2 takes it further than before.
What's New in Release No. 2
Last year's debut release was shaped by a marriage of American oak wine casks, new American barrels, and second-fill bourbon casks. Release No. 2 adds a fourth layer.
This 16 Year Old expression is matured first in first-fill bourbon barrels and fine wine and fortified wine casks, then finished in sequence across four further cask types:
Port pipes
Oloroso sherry casks
Wine casks
A final, delicate rest in Fino Sherry butts
Each cask adds something the last one didn't — richness building in layers rather than arriving all at once.
Tasting Notes
Nose: Rich stewed fruits with a beautiful array of floral top notes. Hints of marzipan and polished leather. A drop of water accentuates the fresh, ripe fruits.
Taste: Mellow and silky smooth, with a creamy buttery toffee sweetness. Caramelised cane sugar, balanced by a dry oak tannin.
Finish: Long-lasting, oaky, and quietly assured.
Bottled at 43% ABV.
Two Crafts, One Instinct
Adrian Newey, Aston Martin Formula One™ Team's Managing Technical Partner, has spoken about what drew him to this partnership — and the parallels he found between his own work and Kinsman's:
"What surprised me most was the balance between artistry and engineering. I expected the artistry, but I hadn't appreciated just how much engineering goes into creating Glenfiddich and achieving consistency without removing individuality. You don't want it to become over-engineered. It needs personality."
Why This Release Matters
Glenfiddich holds more awards since 2000 than any other single malt Scotch whisky across two of the industry's most prestigious competitions, the IWSC and the ISC. Release No. 2 is a continuation of that record, not a departure from it — the same house, the same Malt Master, applying a new idea to a well-proven foundation.
For collectors following the series, this is the second chapter in what's shaping up to be an ongoing story between two very different disciplines that, it turns out, aren't as different as they look.
The Details
Glenfiddich 16 Year Old Aston Martin Formula One™ Team Limited Edition, Release No. 2 · 43% ABV · RRP £75
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