Filliers experiments with orange liqueur casks
Belgian distillery Filliers’ limited release highlights the innovative cask maturation techniques of master distiller Pedro Saez Del Burgo, while honouring its 145-year distilling heritage.
Family-owned Filliers Distillery in Bachte‐Maria‐Leerne in East Flanders has taken cask finishing into new realms with its latest release, Master Distiller Selection Orange Cask. The limited edition Belgian single malt blends spirits distilled in 2009 and 2015, combining 15-year-old and eight-year-old whiskies aged in Sherry casks, then finishing them in traditional Andalusian Vino de Naranja casks for a few months to a year.
New horizons
Vino de Naranja, which translates to ‘orange wine’, is a unique, historically significant product crafted by family-owned wineries in Spain since the early 20th century. The liqueur, which is said to be similar to the Spanish orange liqueur produced in the region of Seville, is made by infusing wine grapes with dried orange peels and ageing the mixture for several years in oak barrels.
To create the Master Distiller Selection Orange Cask, Del Burgo selected Vino de Naranja casks that bring subtle citrus notes and added depth to the whisky.
“The result is a very elegant and approachable whisky with subtle orange notes,” Del Burgo explains. “It’s easy to drink, but still has the sharpness and depth you’d expect from a high-quality single malt. The main character still comes from oloroso Sherry casks we used for the first eight to 15 years of ageing. The finish in the orange cask adds a fruity touch, giving the whisky even better balance and a truly unique aroma and flavour profile.”
On the nose, the amber-coloured single malt presents aromas of orange, candied fruit, vanilla, and honey. On the palate, it reveals additional flavours of dried fruit and tangerines, complemented by a touch of zest and floral nuances, culminating in a long and intricate finish.
Limited supply
The single malt whisky made its Belgian on-trade debut in September. Limited to 1,339 bottles with an ABV of 51.4%, Filliers Master Distiller Selection Orange Cask is available at premium liquor stores in Belgium and through The Monnik Dranken in the Netherlands, with a suggested retail price of €125 (US$145/£110).
Whisky enthusiasts located outside of Belgium or the Netherlands can contact the distillery directly at orderentry@filliers.be to inquire about shipping options.
The limited release complements the distillery’s existing whisky core range, which includes American oak-matured Filliers Single Malt, as well as Cask Strength, 10-year-old, and 15-year-old Sherry Cask expressions. The distillery’s portfolio also contains single rye whiskies, vodkas, gins, and barrel-aged genevers.
The innovative cask finish follows the debut of an exclusive Family Reserve whisky series in March, with the next chapter scheduled for release in March 2026.
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