Skip to main content

Glenfiddich’s Experimental Series is Back with Fire & Cane

Glenfiddich’s newest release is a bit of a dual-headed hydra, if hydra were made of different styles of Scotch whisky and barrel finishes. And didn’t face off against Hercules. OK, so the new Glenfiddich release — named Fire & Cane — isn’t exactly a hydra, but it does have multiple intriguing aspects to it.

The impetus for the newest release from Glenfiddich was born all the way back in 2003 when malt master Brian Kinsman ran peated spirit through the stills at the distillery for the first time.

Related Videos
Glenfiddich Fire and Cane
Jacob Tyler Dunn

Kinsman took this idea over time and expanded on it. Fire & Cane is a marriage of peated and non-peated whisky which were both aged in bourbon casks (sourced exclusively from the Kelvin Cooperage in Louisville, Kentucky). After the initial aging period, Kinsman married the whiskies and finished them in rum casks from a variety of South American countries for a period of three months.

“This new single malt truly encapsulates the spirit of experimentation. We started with a question: What would happen if we did something with peat that we had not done before? The answer is an unconventional and unexpected whisky, one that is truly surprising,” Kinsman said in a statement. “During the tastings, some experienced the unusual smoky notes, while others tasted toffee flavors — this phenomenon can be attributed to the Scotch spending three months in sweet rum casks. It’s a bold combination, which I’m sure will appeal and intrigue single malt enthusiasts as well as those looking to try something new and different.”

Glenfiddich Fire and Cane
Jacob Tyler Dunn

Fire & Cane is the fourth release in the Experimental Series. The previous three releases were: Glenfiddich India Pale Ale Cask Finish, Glenfiddich Project XX (a blend of malts chosen by twenty different people), and, the most recent, Glenfiddich Winter Storm (which was aged in French Oak ice wine casks from Canada).

The name for Fire & Cane comes from the dual aspects of experimentation. On one hand, the fire is representative of the peat fires that create the smoky whisky. On the other, the cane represents the use of rum casks and all the flavors that those impart on the married whisky.

Bottled at 43 percent ABV, Fire & Cane has a mix of peat and toffee on the nose, followed by a palate of more peat smoke mingling with green fruits and wood spices (think roasting marshmallows and Granny Smiths over a campfire and making slightly healthier s’mores). The finish is sweet and smoky.

Glenfiddich Fire & Cane retails for around $50.

Editors' Recommendations

Warm up with these 10 stellar Tiki cocktails
From tropical fruit to vibrant colors, these delicious Tiki drinks will knock your socks off
mai tai

Tiki culture is a wealth of riches, not to mention elaborate drinks. For the out of touch, it's mere escapism, a way to feel like you're somewhere warm and cozy. But for those in the know, Tiki is an art form, a genre, an entire culture.

It all began in the South Pacific and gradually spread to famous hotel bars and, ultimately, the best recipe books. Yes, it's a vacation in a glass, and that glass might just be a pineapple, coconut husk, shared bowl, or Tiki mug, but it's also a category of some of the most interesting drinks on the planet (with a devout following, we might add).

Read more
This is how to mix cocktails with honey for a flavorful drink
Honey is a great way to add a little sweetness and texture to a cocktail. Here's how to mix with the stuff.
Buckwheat Honey Old Fashioned on table.

Like tasty maple syrup or demerara, honey is a great cocktail ingredient that can impart flavor and sweetness. With much more character than, say, simple syrup, honey can improve drinks across the board, from a steaming Hot Toddy to a Bee's Knees cocktail.

We like a nice dose of honey in everything from a great hot cocktail to a classic bourbon creation like an Old Fashioned. But not just any honey will do and, often, you don't just want to throw it in last minute. Instead, honey can be prepped a bit so it can enter a drink seamlessly. Moreover, you can source some delicious higher-end honey that will offer lovely floral components and easy-to-mix-with flavors. Here's how to mix cocktails with honey.

Read more
The ultimate guide to world-class seafood paella, according to an executive chef
Chef Miguel Molina of La Pulperia NYC shares his culinary insight on the perfect seafood paella
Paella from La Pulperia.

Perfectly al-dente rice flush with fresh shellfish, a properly made seafood paella is one of the greatest foods in the world. This delicacy from Valencia, Spain, is the perfect dish for a festive gathering, a fun family meal, or a romantic dinner for two. While it can be made with poultry and game meat in Spain, some of the most popular versions of paella often lean heavily into seafood.

At La Pulperia, a pan-Latin American restaurant in Hell's Kitchen, Manhattan, they've mastered the seafood paella. Executive Chef Miguel Molina is a native of Guerrero, Mexico, and is lending his creativity and culinary background to the restaurant menu, which includes a stellar paella made with black squid ink. The food here is a blend of cultures, combining influences from Latin and South American countries like Peru, Brazil, Argentina, and Mexico, creating totally distinctive flavor combinations. So what better guide is there to help us on the journey of making a world-class paella?
The foundation: The rice
Octopus paella from La Pulperia in NYC.

Read more