Aged by Time, Enhanced by Tradition

Bodegas Barbadillo & Rare Find

Since 2015, Rare Find has built its reputation on discovering exceptional distillates and elevating them through maturation in the finest casks - crafting single malt Scotch whiskies that are intentionally rare by design.

Meanwhile, Bodegas Barbadillo, with over two centuries of sherry-making heritage, is the guardian of some of the oldest soleras in Jerez. At the heart of their collection lies the legendary Reliquia series - sherries matured for over 100 years in extraordinary botas from Sanlúcar de Barrameda.

In 2022, Rare Find partnered with Barbadillo to create an elite sherry cask seasoning programme. Together, they developed a selection of casks that have been imbued with astonishing depth and oxidative richness - casks shaped by time, tradition, and the soul of Andalusia.

Today, the results of this collaboration are being unveiled - remarkable single malt Scotch whiskies that reflect the best of both Scotland and Spain. Aged with patience, enriched by legacy, and bottled with purpose, these expressions are a meeting point of rarity and heritage.

A collaboration built on tradition, precision and purpose

From Bodegas to bottle

Rare Find’s commitment to excellence in single malt Scotch whisky extends beyond distillate selection - it’s rooted in the belief that exceptional whisky can only be crafted from exceptional wood.

Our partnership began with the Rare Find team travelling to Barbadillo’s historic bodega in Sanlúcar de Barrameda, where sherry has been crafted with care since 1821. There, among ancient soleras and timeworn stone walls, they explored the revered Reliquia casks - some dating back to the 19th century, and others once so prized they were reserved for the Pope himself.

Together with Barbadillo’s esteemed oenologist, the team assessed a wide range of sherry styles, cask types, and sizes. Working in tandem, a bespoke range of sherry-seasoned casks was developed - each designed to impart authentic, deeply rooted sherry character into Rare Find’s carefully selected single malt Scotch whiskies - each with Barbadillo’s unmistakable sherry fingerprints imbued within.

The Autumn Bottling

Cask Selection

Rare Find collaborated closely with Barbadillo to hand-select casks ideally suited for maturing Scotch malt whisky. While structural integrity is essential, equal importance was placed on factors like wood type, tannin levels, oxygen exposure, and cooperage history.

This meticulous approach ensures that each cask seamlessly integrates with a variety of Scotch distillate styles - imparting complex oxidative depth and layers of rich, wine-derived sweetness.

Seasoning

To begin the seasoning process, Barbadillo filled each selected cask with a carefully chosen style of sherry - in the case of the Rare Find collaboration, the bold and luxurious oloroso. Known for its deep, nutty character and rich oxidative complexity, oloroso is the perfect match for the character-led Scotch whiskies Rare Find selects.

Profile

The result is a cask that's not simply flavoured by sherry, but one that has lived with it - developing a richness that can only come from time, patience, and authentic bodega aging. When these casks arrive in Scotland, they bring with them the essence of the sherry, ready to transform the whisky laid down within.

Reracking

In Scotland, Rare Find fills the freshly seasoned casks with specially selected single malt - often spirit that can stand up to the bold character of the newly seasoned sherry wood. The whisky then undergoes a secondary maturation (often called finishing) of several months to several years, depending on the target flavour development.

Monitoring & Selection

Each cask is treated as a one-of-a-kind canvas, with the maturation process closely monitored through regular sampling. Over time, the whisky evolves further - drawing character from the seasoned oak, layering sherry richness over the distillate. The goal is harmony: a perfect balance between the bold influence of the sherry and the original profile of the spirit.

A collaboration built on tradition, precision and purpose

RARE FIND & BODEGAS BARBADILLO

Benriach 9 YO on a Barbadillo Rare Find Cask

Rare Casks. Shared Legacy

Each Rare Find is a conversation. A dialogue between the spirit and the cask, between time and craftsmanship. Through our unique partnership with Bodegas Barbadillo, we widen this conversation to encompass both Scotland and southern Spain.

This collaboration reflects our unwavering dedication to quality and rarity. Barbadillo's historic sherry casks, steeped in centuries of expertise, bring with them an unmistakable depth and character. And when matched with Rare Find's carefully selected single malt Scotch whiskies, the result is something genuinely special: whisky shaped by two cultures, thousands of miles apart, yet perfectly aligned in tradition, precision and purpose.

Each expression produced from this partnership is a one-of-a-kind creation - a unique interplay of cask and spirit, history and innovation. Bottled without compromise, these are whiskies that are unmistakable a Rare Find.