24th April, 2014 by Becky Paskin

Chivas Brothers is building on the “cult success” of The Glenlivet Nadurra by expanding the brand to include several new expressions, the first of which is a Sherry-matured single malt.

The Scotch arm of French drinks group Pernod Ricard is launching the first permanent brand extension for Nadurra – The Glenlivet Nadurra Oloroso – in global travel retail from May 2014, initially through World Duty Free Group and Heinemann stores.

The expression, a no-age-statement 48% abv non-chill filtered whisky aged solely in first-fill oloroso Sherry casks, has aromas of milk chocolate, dried fruits and caramel, with notes of cinnamon and liquorice on the palate.

Nikki Burgess, global brand director for The Glenlivet, said the bottling was the brand’s “first whisky in living memory” exclusively matured in Sherry casks.

“The Glenlivet Nadurra is the purest expression of The Glenlivet that captures the passion and production methods of George Smith’s distillery,” she said.

“We know that whisky connoisseurs appreciate these qualities at the heart of the range, and by expanding the Nadurra range we aim to consolidate our strong and innovative offering in the craft malt arena.”

Burgess added that the decision was taken to expand the Nadurra range as the brand “had more to give”.

Following its launch in travel retail in May, when it will be available at an RRP of US$75 (€55), The Glenlivet Nadurra Oloroso will be rolled out to domestic markets from September 2014, but at cask strength.

The launch, which joins The Glenlivet Master Distiller’s Reserve in travel retail, will be followed in due course by several other expressions, which will not necessarily be wholly matured in a single cask type.

According to figures quoted by Chivas Brothers, single malt Scotch whisky accounted for 1.2 million case sales in European travel retail in 2012.

The Glenlivet previously released a vintage edition of Nadurra – Nadurra Triumph – made using the single barley variety of the same name, in 2009.