NEW YORK, Nov. 19, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- On December 11, 2012, Glenfiddich, the world's most awarded single malt Scotch whisky, will partner with The World Resources Institute (WRI), for the final global auction of the 55 Year Old Glenfiddich Janet Sheed Roberts Reserve.  The last bottle will be the centerpiece of an exclusive event in Los Angeles with all proceeds benefitting WRI, a global environment and economic development think tank that goes beyond research to put ideas into action. 

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20121119/NY15513 )

In celebration of the distillery's milestone 125th anniversary year, Glenfiddich is conducting rare whisky auctions around the globe including the UK, India, Taiwan, Russia, Canada and China. This extraordinary 55 year-old whisky was created to commemorate the 110th birthday of the late Mrs. Janet Sheed Roberts, granddaughter of Glenfiddich founder William Grant. Only 11 bottles of this limited edition expression were bottled, one for every decade of her life, and fetched as high as $94,000 at auction, breaking the world record for the most expensive bottle of whisky ever sold at auction.

"The warehouses of Glenfiddich have the most expensive stocks of rare whiskies available in the world and 55 Year Old Glenfiddich Janet Sheed Roberts Reserve is a beautiful example of an elegant vintage Glenfiddich," said Brian Kinsman, Glenfiddich Malt Master.  "Mrs. Janet Roberts was 54 when the cask was filled on New Year's Eve 1955. Since then, it has spent the last 55 years maturing in the darkness of Warehouse 29. The whisky is a perfect harmony of fruit and floral aromas and has a surprising light touch of oak, incredible for a whisky that has spent so long in European wood. The rarity and quality of the liquid, the exquisite bespoke packaging and the story behind its creation makes this a collectible that is hard to value."

"Glenfiddich began its history 125 years ago when our founder William Grant cashed in his life savings to pursue his dream of creating the 'best dram in the valley'," said Peter Gordon, Great Grandson of William Grant.  "With the help of his nine children, he built the Glenfiddich Distillery and the first drop of spirit flowed from the stills in 1887. We are proud to be one of the only distilleries that remains independently owned and our independence gives us the rare opportunity to lead the industry by testing our innovative ideas. We could think of no better tribute to the unmistakable vision of William Grant, than the auction of one of our most prized heirlooms. We are privileged to partner with WRI that focuses on the intersection of the environment and economic development to improve people's lives."

William Grant & Sons is fully committed to the environment and sustainability both in its own operations at the Glenfiddich distillery and throughout the supply chain.

"Everyone knows that high-quality water is essential for fine whisky. That's why we are very pleased to be partnering with Glenfiddich, a company that recognizes the importance of protecting natural resources for the environment and for business," said Dr. Andrew Steer, President, World Resources Institute. "We're looking forward to an exciting and entertaining evening. What a great way to raise awareness of the role we all play in creating a more sustainable planet."

Proceeds from the auction will benefit WRI's work on leading environmental and sustainability issues that will protect the planet and improve people's lives. WRI works with governments, companies, and civil societies to build solutions to urgent environmental and human development challenges, and celebrates its 30^th anniversary this year.

For more information on the event visit: http://www.wri.org/event/2012/12/glenfiddich-whisky-auction-benefit-wri.  

About Glenfiddich:
Glenfiddich, the world's most awarded Single Malt Scotch Whisky, is generally recognized as being one of the true pioneers in the field of Single Malt Scotch Whisky. The Glenfiddich distillery, located in Dufftown, in Scotland's Speyside region, was built in 1886 by William Grant, with the help of his seven sons and two daughters. To this day, Glenfiddich remains an independent, family-owned company run by the fifth generation of William Grant's family. This independence allows the distillery creative freedom to continue to innovate and set the standard against which the rest of the category is measured. Generally recognized as having pioneered the single malt category in 1963, when it introduced the first range of non-blended malts, Glenfiddich to this day retains the pioneering tradition established by William Grant, making it the proud recipient of nearly 200 international awards since 1998 and making it the number one selling Single Malt Whisky in the world. The Glenfiddich range includes the core 12 (40% ABV; RRP $45.99), 15 (40% ABV; RRP $54.99), 18 (40% ABV; RRP $84.99) and 21 Year Old (40% ABV; RRP %154.99) expressions, as well as a series of rare and precious expressions, including the renowned Glenfiddich 50 Year Old, a bottle of which sold in 2009 for a staggering $38,000. For more information, visit www.glenfiddich.com.

About William Grant & Sons:
William Grant & Sons, Ltd. is an independent family-owned distiller headquartered in the United Kingdom and founded by William Grant in 1887. Today, the luxury spirits company is run by the fifth generation of his family and distills some of the world's leading brands of Scotch whisky, including the world's most awarded single malt Glenfiddich®, The Balvenie® range of handcrafted single malts and the world's fourth largest blended Scotch Grant's® as well as other iconic spirits brands such as Hendrick's® Gin, Sailor Jerry® Rum, Tullamore Dew Irish Whiskey and the award-winning Milagro® Tequila.

Among the most recent accolades for the well-awarded company, William Grant & Sons was honored as the "Distiller of the Year" by the International Wine & Spirit Competition for the second year running and the fourth time since 1999. When counted along with the same designation from the International Spirits Challenge, William Grant & Sons has received this title an unprecedented nine times in the past 12 years.

Founded in 1964, William Grant & Sons USA is a wholly-owned subsidiary of William Grant & Sons, Ltd. and features one of the fastest growing spirits portfolios in the USA with brands including Glenfiddich, The Balvenie, Hendrick's Gin, Sailor Jerry Rum, Tullamore Dew Irish Whiskey, Milagro Tequila, Stolichnaya Vodka, Grant's, Hudson Whiskey, Gibson's Finest, Monkey Shoulder, Clan MacGregor, Reyka Vodka, Solerno Blood Orange Liqueur, Lillet, Art In The Age, The Knot and BOLS cordials. The company has offices in New York City (sales and marketing) and Edison, NJ (bottling and warehouse facilities). For more information on the company and its brands, please visit www.grantusa.com.

About The World Resources Institute:
WRI focuses on the intersection of the environment and socio-economic development. We go beyond research to put ideas into action, working globally with governments, business, and civil society to build transformative solutions that protect the earth and improve people's lives. For more information visit http://www.wri.org/.

SOURCE William Grant & Sons, Ltd.