As a cask comes to maturity, Finn curates sampling sessions in interesting and relaxing environments, with friends, whisky experts and trusted partners to discover the personality of each cask and gauge the experience each dram evokes.
All the best distillers pride themselves on crafting whisky with a distinctive flavour, which is determined by the water source, grain and barley, the peat and malting, and their distilling processes. High quality original spirit is integral to every cask we bottle.
The cask itself interacts with the whisky over time. The type of wood plays a big role, as do treatments such as the whiskies are aged in a variety of types of casks. The whiskies are aged in former sherry or bourbon casks, augmenting the cask influence. External conditions such as air temperature, pressure and humidity also interact with the cask producing a knock-on effect that makes the spirit inside unique.
Finn uses these factors to balance each FT whisky experience. He may sample a cask and decide to leave it on the rack, allowing age to further develop its personality. He might decide to re-rack a whisky in a new cask to add a finishing touch. Or, he might simply deem it ready. When Finn decides the flavour is perfectly balanced, it’s time to bottle the whisky.
This Macduff is where the Finn Thomson Whisky journey truly began. It was the first cask I ever purchased as an independent bottler, acquired years before our first release reached the shelves. While I was fortunate to inherit remarkable casks from my grandfather, I knew that building the future of the business meant sourcing exceptional casks of my own. This one has patiently waited ever since, making it far more than just another release.
Macduff is renowned for producing a robust, nutty spirit underpinned by bright orchard fruits and a subtle coastal freshness. Given time, those distinctive characteristics evolve into a wonderfully elegant whisky with layers of toasted nuts, soft fruit and gentle spice. This cask showcases the distillery's character exactly as it should be experienced.
Matured exclusively in a refill hogshead for eighteen years, the oak has played a deliberately restrained role. Rather than dominating the spirit with heavy wood influence, the cask has allowed the whisky to mature slowly, adding complexity, texture and refinement while preserving the true character of the distillery.
This whisky brings together everything I hoped for when I first filled my own warehouse with casks. The elegance of mature refill oak sits in perfect harmony with Macduff's naturally nutty spirit, creating a whisky of remarkable balance. Bottling it today feels like a full-circle moment, a fitting reminder of where the Finn Thomson story began.
This Macduff is where the Finn Thomson Whisky journey truly began. It was the first cask I ever purchased as an independent bottler, acquired years before our first release reached the shelves. While I was fortunate to inherit remarkable casks from my grandfather, I knew that building the future of the business meant sourcing exceptional casks of my own. This one has patiently waited ever since, making it far more than just another release.
Macduff is renowned for producing a robust, nutty spirit underpinned by bright orchard fruits and a subtle coastal freshness. Given time, those distinctive characteristics evolve into a wonderfully elegant whisky with layers of toasted nuts, soft fruit and gentle spice. This cask showcases the distillery's character exactly as it should be experienced.
Matured exclusively in a refill hogshead for eighteen years, the oak has played a deliberately restrained role. Rather than dominating the spirit with heavy wood influence, the cask has allowed the whisky to mature slowly, adding complexity, texture and refinement while preserving the true character of the distillery.
This whisky brings together everything I hoped for when I first filled my own warehouse with casks. The elegance of mature refill oak sits in perfect harmony with Macduff's naturally nutty spirit, creating a whisky of remarkable balance. Bottling it today feels like a full-circle moment, a fitting reminder of where the Finn Thomson story began.