The Balvenie

Balveni has several features that give reason to call the distillery unique. This is the only distillery in Scotland that grows its own barley for production, still using traditional current malting, and also has its own team of coopers and coppersmiths for the manufacture of barrels of various shapes and volumes. And yet, and this is the most important moment – the cavalier of the Order of the British Empire, the legendary David Stuart, the master of William Grant & Sons, works here. The most successful examples of blended Grants, single malt Glenfiddich and Balvenie are his work. His efforts Balveni 6 times became the Distillery of the year according to IWSC.

History reference. It all started with the purchase by William Grant of an abandoned Balvenie estate with a building that, in his opinion, was perfect for a distillery. This happened in 1892, and a year later the first spirits appeared. At first, they were used only for Grants blends. Expand the distillery in 1923 began the son of the founder of William Grant & Sons – John. He increased the area of ​​workshops, replaced three small malt houses with a traditional one, which is used today. Complete reconstruction was completed in 1929.

The distillery worked during the Second World War, although the volumes of alcohol obtained became less and some of them went to the front. A significant event for the distillery and the company as a whole was the arrival of an unskilled worker, seventeen-year-old David Stewart in 1962.

The significance of the event was appreciated in 1974, when Stuart became a master. The first bottle of single-malt “Balveni” was released in 1971, but its appearance went almost unnoticed. The success of Balvenie whiskey is directly related to the fourth in the history of Master Blend. Stuart experimented for a long time with sequential aging in different types of barrels, thanks to him a new term appeared in the production of whiskey – aging, or finish.

In 1982, a drink appeared, which today is known as Balvenie Classic, rated by Bill Murray in the “Whiskey Bible” by 100 points out of a hundred possible. After 5 years, in 1987, a 50-year-old whiskey was bottled at the Balvenie distillery, and after 5 more three original Balvenie varieties were produced – 10-year-old Founders, 12-year-old DoubleWood and 15-year-old Single Barrel.

Despite his advanced age, David Stewart continues to work now – he teaches young masters of the Balveni distillery, conducts master classes. And the drinks he created continue to collect awards from prestigious competitions.

Types of adhesive tape Balveni

Balvenie Caribbean Cask, 14 Years Old, 43%. The fourteen-year-old alcohols for single malt scotch passed additional aging in barrels of West Indian rum, the blend of which was compiled by David Stuart specifically for this sort of whiskey. The result is an amber-golden drink with a rounded honey flavor, in which shades of creamy caramel and vanilla are noticeable. It has a light aroma with notes of apples, honey and vanilla, and a warm, long aftertaste. Recommended as a digestif, drink clean.

Balvenie Doublewood, 17 Years Old, 43%. Scotch was created by David Stuart in 2012 in honor of the 50th anniversary of the distillery. He used the cask finishing tradition – sequential ripening: 17 years old alcohols ripen in bourbon barrels, acquire a golden color and a sweet taste with vanilla notes, and then aged for one and a half to two years in barrels of sherry and in the aroma of the drink spicy shades appear, and in the taste – notes of dried cherry. Whiskey for two consecutive years – in 2013 and 2014, received the IWSC gold award, as well as Scotch Whiskey Masters and International Spirits Challenge silver in the same years. Drink scotch tape recommended clean.

Balvenie Single Barrel, Sherry Cask, 15 Years Old, 47.8%. A limited release of adhesive tape was created in 2014 – only 650 bottles per lot. Golden honey drink 15 years ripened in a barrel of sherry, has a spicy aroma with notes of cherry jam, dried fruits, nutmeg and roasted almonds. In the volumetric taste palpable shades of sherry, almonds and raisins. In 2014, whiskey received the IWSC Silver Award.