Aberfeldy 18 Year Old Scotch Whisky Finished in Cabernet Sauvignon Wine Casks
Aberfeldy 18 Year Old Scotch Whisky Finished in Cabernet Sauvignon Wine Casks is the 2023 limited-edition release in Aberfeldy's Red Wine Cask Collection — an 18-year-old Highland single malt matured for 18 years in a combination of refill and hogshead casks, then finished for around 15 months in ex-Cabernet Sauvignon barriques from California's Napa Valley. Bottled at 43% ABV, the Napa finish bestows a lush, fruit-forward opulence on Aberfeldy's signature honeyed smoothness. It is available to order online at Del Mesa Liquor, San Diego, CA.
- ABV: 43%
- Size: 750mL
- Age: 18 years minimum, plus ~15-month Napa Cabernet Sauvignon wine cask finish
- Origin: Aberfeldy Distillery, Perthshire, Highlands, Scotland
- Production: 18 years in refill and hogshead casks; finished in Napa Valley ex-Cabernet Sauvignon barriques; limited 2023 release
The Golden Dram Meets Napa Valley
Aberfeldy's Red Wine Cask Collection, first launched in 2019, pairs the distillery's famously honeyed malt with red wine cask finishes sourced from France, Italy, and the USA — and the 2023 edition is the first 18-year-old of the series. Compared with the 15-year-old, which used the same Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon casks, Master Blender Stephanie Macleod notes a deepening of the red berry aromas and a mellower dram: longer in the wine cask, the whisky trades its spice for velvety richness. Browse the Aberfeldy collection, more Scotch whisky, and Del Mesa's finished and wine-cask whiskies shelf.
Tasting Notes
Expect a dominance of fruit — deepening red berry aromas, tart blackberry, and plum layered over Aberfeldy's signature green apple and honeyed, floral malt. Rich and decadent on the palate with a velvety texture; the tannin that showed as cinnamon in the 15-year-old has softened into a mellow, syrupy finish.
How to Enjoy
Neat in a proper nosing glass, or with a few drops of spring water to open the wine-cask fruit. A collector's bottle that drinks beautifully now — serve it as the centerpiece dram of an evening.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Aberfeldy 18 Cabernet Sauvignon finish a limited edition?
Yes — it is the 2023 release in Aberfeldy's annual Red Wine Cask Collection, available in limited runs.
What wine casks finish Aberfeldy 18 Napa Valley Red Wine Cask?
Ex-Cabernet Sauvignon barriques sourced from Napa Valley, California; the whisky finishes in them for around 15 months after 18 years in refill and hogshead casks.
What is the ABV of Aberfeldy 18 Napa Valley Red Wine Cask?
43% ABV.
The Golden Dram, finished in Napa gold — order Aberfeldy 18 Year Old Cabernet Sauvignon Wine Cask online from Del Mesa Liquor, San Diego, CA.