California Dreamin’

When I worked at a distillery in Scotland, I was fully aware of, and completely embraced, the role I was playing in creating this thing called, “The Water of Life.” I knew that people around the world would one day be enjoying the fruits of my labor to celebrate friends, fuel romances, mourn loved ones and live in the moment. I was living a dream.

Not everyone can work at a whisky distillery, but an interesting concept by Glenfiddich has people in the U.S. at least touching their whisky dreams, and potentially their life dreams.

Several “Cask of Dreams” are making their way around the U.S. at special events, like one held recently at the Viceroy in Santa Monica and other places throughout Los Angeles. The casks are empty, but people are encouraged to write their dreams on the casks at these Glenfiddich gatherings. The casks will be sent back to Scotland where they will be used to finish a spirit for a special Cask of Dreams bottling, set for U.S. release in 2012.

Glenfiddich has also designed a special Cask of Dreams website (www.caskofdreams.com) where people can post their life ambitions. For every dream posted, Glenfiddich will donate $1 to the National Geographic Explorer program, which funds scientists, adventurers and others seeking to fulfill their dreams. In addition, a few lucky dreamers who post on the site will win trips to help fulfill their dreams of adventure.

I’m curious to see what spirit Glenfiddich will dream up for the Cask of Dreams bottling. Early indications are that it will be similar to a 14-year-old special bottling that came out last year aged in virgin oak casks. That spirit is rich with bursts of fruit, vanilla overtones and wood spice peaks. I enjoy that much better than the 12-year-old, which is too bouncy for my palate.

If Glenfiddich can match the right spirit with the words of hope written on the outside of these special casks, they will have indeed created a dream whisky.