Balvenie 40 yo

Volume: 0.7 litres | Alcohol content: 42.2% | Colouring: No

Special Features:

Balvenie Forty centres on the marriage of long-matured whiskies. For the Rare Marriages range, Malt Master David C. Stewart MBE selected rare casks of American and European oak. The whiskies matured in these casks are brought together in a traditional large oak marrying tun. This gives the forty-year-old release a flavour profile that unites different cask characters.

This limited edition is bottled at its natural cask strength of 42.2% and contains no added colouring. The bottle holds 0.7 litres. Its presentation packaging has an oak-based construction with rings in graduated colours. These colour transitions reflect the layers of flavour created by the marriage.

Tasting Notes:

• Nose: Honey and orange marmalade mingle with creamy fruit notes. Vanilla then unfolds, accompanied by a hint of oak.
• Palate: The palate reveals orange blossom, candied ginger and honeyed sweetness. These are followed by oak, mouth-coating vanilla and delicate sherry fruit.
• Finish: The finish is warm and elegant, with honeyed sweetness and rich citrus notes lingering.

Distillery/Bottler:

William Grant built The Balvenie in Speyside, immediately next to Glenfiddich; distillation began in 1893. The distillery grows some of its own barley and operates its own floor maltings. Here, the soaked barley is spread across the malting floor and turned by hand.

The upkeep of the stills and casks is also closely connected to the distillery site: an in-house coppersmith looks after the distilling equipment, while the cooperage team prepares and maintains the casks. David C. Stewart joined the company in 1962. When selecting casks, he assesses samples for their aromatic balance and character; his experience in marrying whiskies from different casks shapes the Rare Marriages range.

Facts: