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Introducing The Vanguard Series
The Vanguard operates on the boundaries. They are people who explore, discover what’s possible, and redefine the limits.
The Vanguard Series is a journey of discovery in whisky making, revealing the most incredible cask stories and flavours, and celebrating those who choose to explore. The inaugural release in the series showcases two exceptional limited edition single malts, the Vanguard 1st Release and the Rare 29 Year Old, of which there are just 99 bottles worldwide.
Inspired by Master Whisky Maker Gregg Glass’ unique synaesthetic tasting notes and his “tastes in colour”, The Vanguard Series explores how we experience flavour through our senses.
A Connection of the Senses
Gregg Glass’ tasting notes were not just the inspiration for The Vanguard Series, but also the basis for a unique creative challenge. If flavours can be colours and shapes, how else can they be interpreted?
This was the creative challenge to the incredible musicians Kathryn Joseph and Barry Burns of Mogwai, who collaborated for the first time on an original piece of music based on those tasting notes and conversations about how music, memory, colours and flavour can be so inherently linked.
"I loved working with Barry on this. It felt very quickly like all the elements of this made sense to me. How Gregg sees and hears the colours of the tastes.” – Kathryn Joseph.
"The opportunity to work with Gregg and the Fettercairn team felt like a genuine collaboration. And we had a lot of fun taking inspiration from the colours and shapes of the tasting notes.” – Barry Burns, Mogwai
Vanguard Rare 29 Year Old
Vanguard 29 Year Old is an extremely rare release of just 99 bottles worldwide. The whisky has spent 25 years in a refill bourbon hogshead before being transferred to an exceptionally rare French pink oak cask.
This pink oak is distinguished by its high levels of carotenoids, which give fruit and floral notes, particularly strawberry characteristics, that perfectly complement Fettercairn's tropical house style.
Vanguard 1st Release
Vanguard is a unique, small batch whisky that started its life in ex-bourbon barrels, developing for 14 years before being finished in unique hybrid casks constructed from American oak staves and heavily toasted Scottish oak heads. These barrels were crafted from naturally wind-felled Highland Scottish oak and created in collaboration with Speyside Cooperage.
This unique maturation environment that balances Fettercairn's signature tropical house style with subtle warming wood spice notes.
