Driven by a desire to explore new dimensions within The Balvenie's flavor profile, distillery manager Ian Millar drew inspiration from a recent visit to Islay. He ordered a batch of Speyside peat for the kiln, marking a significant departure from the distillery's traditional methods. During one week each year, The Balvenie distills a batch of peated malt, resulting in a whisky enriched with honeyed, vanilla, and citrus notes, adorned with an intriguing layer of delicate smokiness.
The Balvenie Distillery finds its essence in the stories shared from one generation of craftsmen to the next. The Balvenie Stories collection, comprising three unique whiskies, pays homage to these tales of character, determination, and craftsmanship.
Each whisky brought to life by The Balvenie encapsulates a human narrative, evolving in tandem with its protagonists and revealing unforeseen twists as it matures over the years. It's a celebration of the enduring craft and heritage embodied by The Balvenie.
Tasting Note by Balvenie:Nose: Gentle sweet peat smoke, lighter floral notes and delicate butterscotch honey.Palate: Velvety and round to taste with the peat smoke balancing citrus flavours, oaky vanilla and blossom honey.Finish: Gentle smoke with a lingering and creamy vanilla sweetness.
Inspired by the desire to create a fruitier and sweeter iteration of Balvenie, Apprentice Malt Master Kelsey McKechnie embarked on a novel experiment. She introduced Virgin Oak barrels from Kentucky and subjected them to a deep toasting process at The Balvenie Cooperage. These barrels were then filled with Balvenie whisky previously aged in ex-bourbon barrels. The outcome is a remarkably intricate whisky brimming with notes of candied fruit, coconut, and delicate vanilla.
The Balvenie Distillery is built upon the narratives passed down through generations of craftsmen to their successors. The Balvenie Stories range, featuring three distinct whiskies, serves as a testament to these tales of character, dedication, and artistry.
Each whisky crafted by The Balvenie encapsulates a human story, evolving alongside its protagonists and unfolding unforeseen dimensions over years of maturation. It's a celebration of the enduring craft and tradition that defines The Balvenie.
Tasting Note by Balvenie:Nose: Lusciously malty with some sweet fudge, followed by citrusy and oak vanilla aromas with layers of spicy oak notes of ginger and cinnamon.Palate: Candied orange and lemon peel, vanilla toffee and butterscotch, layers of blossom honey, some melted brown sugar and oak spices at the end.Finish: Rich and malty with gentle waves of oak vanilla and subtle spices.
Benriach The Smoky Twelve Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky is a masterful blend of fruity, malty, oaky, and smoky flavors. Crafted with a combination of unpeated and peated spirit, this whisky undergoes a triple maturation process, spending at least twelve years in a variety of cask types, including bourbon barrels, sherry casks, and Marsala wine casks.
With a natural cask-imparted color and an ABV of 46%, Benriach The Smoky Twelve promises a delightful and harmonious tasting experience that combines the best elements of fruitiness and smokiness in a well-rounded whisky.
Tasting Note by BenRiach:Nose: Smoked vanilla, charred orange and toasted almond.Palate: Dark chocolate, fruit peel, brown sugar and smoked oak, lingering into a cocoa and orange smoked finish.
Benriach The Smoky Ten Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky is a distinctive expression that pays homage to Benriach's unconventional approach to whisky-making. In the early 1970s, the distillery broke with tradition in Speyside by returning to the old-style method of distilling batches of whisky with malted barley that was smoked with Highland peat.
This unique approach using wood-rich Highland peat gives Benriach's peated whiskies a distinctly sweet and smoky character. The Smoky Ten is crafted from a combination of unpeated and peated spirit. It undergoes a triple maturation process, spending at least ten years in a combination of bourbon barrels, Jamaican rum casks, and toasted virgin oak.
Tasting Note by BenRiach:Nose: Ripe orchard fruit syrup, smoked honey glaze and oak spice.Palate: Smoked applewood, honey maple and spiced pear finishing with lingering fruit and smoked oak.
The Balvenie Caribbean Cask 14 Year Old single malt whisky begins its journey aging in traditional oak casks for 14 years. It is then finished in casks that previously held Caribbean rum. Malt Master David C. Stewart MBE prepares these casks with a blend of West Indian rums, which are later replaced by the aged whisky, allowing the wood to impart its final characteristics.Each bottle of this whisky comes with a complimentary Balvenie Tumbler.
Tasting Note by Balvenie:Nose: Rich, sweet and creamy toffee on the nose combines with fresh fruit notes.Palate: Rounded with vanilla and sweet oak notes, with a fruity character that develops with time.Finish: Soft and lingering.
Glenfiddich Grand Cru 23 Year Old, with an ABV of 40%, presents an exclusive and extraordinary expression from the Glenfiddich Distillery. This remarkable whisky is meticulously aged for 23 years in American and European oak casks before embarking on a finishing journey in rare French Cuvee casks. The result is an elegant single malt Scotch whisky that harmoniously melds the finest elements from Scotland and France, creating an unparalleled drinking experience.
Tasting Note by Glenfiddich:Nose: Apple blossom, freshly baked bread and candied lemon.Palate: Layers of rich vanilla oak, sweet brioche, sandalwood, pear sorbet and white grape.Finish: Long, opulent and sweet.
A bold and innovative expression that combines two contrasting flavours: smoky campfire and rich toffee sweetness. Breaking boundaries begins with blending peated whisky and Glenfiddich's signature sweet, fruity malts originally aged in bourbon casks. The final touch ends with six months of finishing in Latin rum casks.
Tasting Note by Glenfiddich:Nose: Billowing soft peat notes, like distant smoke on the wind. Rich sweet toffee with zesty fresh fruit notes and spiciness.Palate: Like a Highland peat campfire, with oak notes and toffee. Sharp green fruit, sweet baked apple and soft smoke.Finish: Lingering smokiness and sweetness.
Glenfiddich 21 Year Old is a masterpiece that undergoes a meticulous maturation process. Initially aged in oak barrels for 21 years, this whisky is then treated to a finishing period in hand-selected Caribbean rum casks, lasting up to four months. This precise method yields an exquisite Speyside whisky, bursting with intricate, warming, and vibrant flavours.
Tasting Note by Glenfiddich:Nose: Intense and vanilla sweet. Floral, hints of banana, figs, rich toffee, new leather and oak.Palate: Initially soft, then brisk, vibrant and drying, peppery, a touch of smoke, oak, lime, ginger and spices.Finish: Very long, warming, dry and spicy.
With an ABV of 40%, Glenfiddich 18 Year Old stands as an extraordinary single malt Scotch whisky, matured for a minimum of eighteen years in Spanish Oloroso wood and American oak casks to cultivate its rich and robust flavours.
Tasting Note by Glenfiddich:Nose: A remarkably rich aroma with ripe orchard fruit, baked apple and robust oak.Palate: Richly delivers luxurious dried fruit, candy peel and dates. Overlaid with elegant oak notes.Finish: Warming, rewarding and distinguished.
With an ABV of 40%, Glenfiddich 15 Year Old embodies Glenfiddich's enduring tradition of innovation. This exceptional whisky undergoes a unique aging process, maturing in European oak sherry casks and new oak casks for a minimum of fifteen years. It is then subjected to the Solera Vat, a sizeable oak tun inspired by the storied bodegas of Spain and Portugal.
Tasting Note by Glenfiddich:Nose: An intriguingly complex aroma. Sweet heather honey and vanilla fudge combined with rich dark fruits.Palate: Silky smooth, revealing layers of sherry oak, marzipan, cinnamon and ginger. Full-bodied and bursting with flavour.Finish: Satisfyingly rich with lingering sweetness.
The 12 Years Old whisky pairs perfectly with Parmigiano-Reggiano, as its rich malt character balances the cheese’s dryness. In return, the cheese serves as a foundation that amplifies the whisky’s sweet fruitiness and highlights its clean barley notes.
Tasting Note by Glen Garioch:Nose: The colour of sharp honey, on the nose heathery floral notes are balanced with the richness of poached pears and the sweetness of malted barley.Palate: Crème brûlée and sweet ripe banana at first, then comes a light oakiness with pear fruitiness, leading to a long smooth, creamy and fragrant finish.
This 12 year old Single Malt Scotch Whisky is triple distilled and matured for over twelve years. A classic Lowland single malt, it offers inviting aromas of toasted almonds, caramelised toffee, and Auchentoshan’s signature smooth, delicate character. A uniquely crafted whisky that stands apart.
Tasting Note by Auchentoshan:Nose: A Single Malt Scotch whisky with a distinctive aroma of crème brulee to the nose with a burst of citrus and then the signature nuttiness and green leafiness you would expect from Auchentoshan.Palate: A smooth whisky taste with sweet notes along with hints of tangerine and lime characterise this 12 year old.Finish: This particular whisky offers a gingery and slightly dry finish with a pleasant, lingering nuttiness.
Introducing The GlenDronach Parliament, aged for a minimum of 21 years. This exceptional single malt is matured in a blend of the finest Oloroso and Pedro Ximenez sherry casks and is bottled at 48% ABV. Continuing the esteemed GlenDronach tradition, it delivers an intense, fruit-laden character. This rich expression is aptly named 'Parliament' in homage to the colony of rooks that have nested in the trees overlooking the GlenDronach distillery for nearly two centuries.
Tasting Note by GlenDronach:Nose: A delicate mix of ripe autumnal fruits - notably blackberries and red plums. Rich Oloroso sherry and candied orange segments. Spiced oatmeal biscuits and toasted oak fragrances bring excellent weight and balance.Palate: Resolute flavours of fine Oloroso sherry and bitter chocolate sauce, which has been spread liberally over homemade plum pudding. This is all infused with fabulous spicy notes - cinnamon, allspice and nutmeg. Full bodied with smooth tannins.Finish: Long and lingering.
Introduced in 1993, the DoubleWood 12 was birthed from a method pioneered by The Balvenie's Malt Master, David Stewart, in 1982—a technique now widely recognized as 'wood finishing'.
To craft The Balvenie DoubleWood, David Stewart MBE begins with whisky aged for at least 12 years in traditional whisky containers, consisting of American Oak ex-bourbon barrels and hogsheads. This is subsequently transitioned to Spanish oak ex-Oloroso sherry casks, where it remains for an added nine months.
Following this, the whisky is shifted to large oak receptacles, known as "tuns", for a period spanning 3-4 months. This crucial step allows the distinct whiskies from separate casks to seamlessly "marry" together.
Owing its unique profile to maturation in dual wood types, The Balvenie DoubleWood single malt whisky imbibes varied attributes at each phase. The conventional casks infuse it with a subtle, delicate character; the sherry wood imparts depth and a rich flavour palette; and the concluding stint in the tuns ensures a harmonious blend of the whiskies.
Tasting Note by Balvenie:Nose: Sweet fruit and Oloroso sherry notes, layered with honey and vanilla.Palate: Smooth and mellow with beautifully combined flavours ~ nutty sweetness, cinnamon spiciness and a delicately proportioned layer of sherry.Finish: Long and Warming.
The Macallan Double Cask 12 Years Old is a notable expression within the Double Cask range, skillfully combining the iconic Macallan style with the delightful sweetness of American oak. This single malt is a harmonious and well-rounded whisky, striking a perfect balance of flavours that encompass fudge, citrus, and gentle spice notes.
Tasting Note by Macallan:Nose: Creamy butterscotch with a hint of toffee apple, candied orange, vanilla custard and newly felled oak.Palate: Deliciously honeyed, wood spices and citrus, balanced with raisins and caramel.Finish: Oak lingers, warm, sweet and drying.
The acclaimed Auchentoshan Single Malt Scotch Whisky has undergone maturation in three distinct cask varieties.
Starting with American Bourbon, transitioning to Spanish Oloroso Sherry, and culminating in Pedro Ximenez Sherry casks, this whisky boasts a rich and intricate profile, teeming with toffee and sherry notes. Three Wood not only serves as an exceptional ingredient in classic cocktails like Auchentoshan & Ale and the Old Fashioned but also stands out as an exquisite dram on its own.
Tasting Note by Auchentoshan:Nose: Blackcurrant, brown sugar, orange, plum and raisin notes are present in our Three Wood.Palate: Fruit and syrup. Hazelnut with hints of cinnamon and lemon. A butterscotch sweetness adds to the overall complexity.Finish: A fresh and fruity, smooth whisky with long lasting oaky sweetness.
Aged for a minimum of 12 years. This exceptional single malt is meticulously matured in a blend of the finest Spanish Pedro Ximénez and Oloroso sherry casks. Bottled at 43% ABV with its natural colour preserved, The GlenDronach 12 Year Old delivers a sweet, creamy experience.
Tasting Note by GlenDronach:Nose: Sweet, creamy vanilla, with hints of ginger. Spiced mulled wine and pear.Palate: Rich, creamy, silky-smooth. Warm, rich oak and sherry sweetness, full mouth feel, raisins and soft fruits. Spicy with medium length and a dry finish.Finish: Long, full and firm, slightly nutty.
The Macallan Sherry Oak 12 Years Old is an integral component of our esteemed Sherry Oak Collection, characterized by a range of single malt whiskies that have been expertly matured in premium sherry seasoned oak casks from Jerez, Spain, to impart richness and complexity. Exhibiting a matured character, this 12 Years Old expression unveils intricate notes of wood spice, dried fruits, and a natural, lustrous golden hue.
Tasting Note by Macallan:Nose: Complex with hints of vanilla.Palate: Smooth, medium balanced with fruit, oak and spice.Finish: Long with sweet dried fruits, oak and spice.
