The Balvenie Opens New Ultra-Aged Collection
The Balvenie Single Malt Scotch Whisky has launched one of its rarest releases, The Balvenie Fifty Collection, a seamless trilogy that represents the interwoven stories of craftsmanship at the Speyside distillery over the last 50 years. Beginning with The First Edition this year, The Balvenie will release only 125 bottles globally of each edition over the next three years, with The Second and Third Editions launching in 2025 and 2026.
The First Edition is a unique single cask expression aged in a European oak refill butt, filled in 1973 and hand-selected by Malt Master, Kelsey McKechnie. The Second Edition will introduce an American oak hogshead cask filled in 1973 to marry with the first, and finally, a third cask filled in 1974, an American oak barrel, will be added to complete the marriage for the final Third Edition.
The inaugural expression from The Balvenie Fifty Collection showcases the depth and complexity of the spirit influenced by the European oak cask while maintaining The Balvenie’s classic sweet honey style, even after 50 years of maturation. The result is a liquid that presents flavors of caramelized fruit, rich spice and soft vanilla, which are complemented by delicate ginger and crisp citrus.
“Each Edition in this collection is a testament to the craftsmanship that has defined our liquid over the past 50 years,” said Kelsey McKechnie. “The unique characteristics of these rare casks come together to create a truly exceptional experience and set a new benchmark for our contribution to the rare and extraordinary whisky market at The Balvenie. Using a refill butt for the First Edition provides us with a distinctive flavor thread that will run through our next two releases, demonstrating the spectrum of flavors and aromas in our aged spirit. It is a celebration of our legacy, our passion, and our unwavering commitment to producing some of the finest whiskies in the world.”
In 1973, former Malt Master David C. Stewart MBE came together with The Balvenie’s craftspeople to fill the cask for the First Edition, starting decades of watchful stewardship and marking the beginning of The Balvenie Fifty Collection’s journey. Many of those individuals still work at The Balvenie today, and through dedication and commitment to the brand’s five rare crafts, many new practices in whisky making have been put into place over the last half century, with the discovery of cask finishing, by our very own David Stewart himself, being one of the most poignant. Today, Kelsey continues this legacy with her approach to the marrying and remarrying of casks, creating a signature flavor profile across The Balvenie Fifty Collection that is not only complex, but also unique to each Edition.
The Balvenie Fifty Collection is enhanced further by the exquisite packaging developed by Croglin, a bespoke craft workshop based in Cumbria. Each presentation contains over 100 intricate elements, including a four-layer wood helix and beautifully crafted 14 carat gold plated brass display.
Bottled at 52.3%, The Balvenie Fifty First Edition is now rolling out worldwide, with 14 bottles available specifically in the United States for a suggested retail price of $53,000.
