Beyond the bottle: Unveiling the makers behind The Balvenie Cask Finishes

The distinctive honeyed character of The Balvenie is apt in many ways, considering the journey it undertakes before reaching fruition. At The Balvenie Distillery, a dedicated team works with the precision and single-mindedness of a hive to produce this renowned single malt. These makers are flavour architects, collectively blending their expertise in grain, soil, metal and wood.

The Balvenie’s dedication to what it calls its five rare crafts – homegrown barley, cooperage, malting floor, copper stills and malt master – ensures that each maker has an intimate understanding of their materials. The makers’ most timeless creations form the distillery’s core collection – The Balvenie Cask Finishes, with each expression calling forth different flavour profiles.

CUSTODIANS OF TRADITION

The journey begins with the Wiseman family, generations of farmers who tend the barley fields. They skilfully navigate Scotland’s unpredictable weather to protect the grains, ensuring the high-quality harvest necessary for production. They uphold The Balvenie’s legacy as one of the few distilleries in the highlands that still grows and malts its own barley.

Next, the malt men take over. After steeping the barley in local spring water, they hand-turn the grains on a traditional malting floor up to four times a day, preparing them to absorb cask influences. This process, spanning weeks, readies the grains for the kiln, which imparts a smoky character that carries through to the whisky.

Distillation takes place in hand-forged copper stills, their shape and size deliberately crafted to produce a clean, aromatic spirit. This clear liquid serves as a blank canvas for casking and achieving nuanced profiles. The stills feature a boil ball at the base of the swan neck, prolonging the time for vapours to mix – a notable design element that is mirrored on each Balvenie bottle.

The cooper’s touch adds character to the whisky. Head cooper Ian McDonald, who can differentiate wood types by touch alone, oversees the storage of the fresh spirit in wind- and water-tight casks. This process adds depth, with techniques like charring or seasoning aiding The Balvenie’s malt master in creating the perfect vessels for flavour exploration and cask finishing – the art of experimenting with different casks to create unique profiles.

Orchestrating this entire process is malt master Kelsey McKechnie. With the profile blueprints in mind, her refined senses and expertise guide each phase, from harvest to distillation to casking. Each batch is a curated expression – one that the seasoned master uses to achieve the distillery’s signature style and to create daring limited expressions for connoisseurs.

EVOCATIVE FLAVOURS FOR DIFFERENT OCCASIONS

The Balvenie Cask Finishes collection showcases the distillery’s dedication to craftsmanship, with delicate flavours underpinned by hallmark notes of honey and vanilla, and enhanced by various wood finishes.

The practice of cask finishing can be attributed to the pioneering efforts of The Balvenie’s honorary ambassador and former malt master David C Stewart. His curiosity led to the investigation of casks that previously held other spirits or wines, uncovering new dimensions of flavour.

For instance, The Balvenie Doublewood 12-Year-Old combines warm vanilla from oak casks and the fruity sweetness of sherry casks to achieve a delicious complexity, while The Balvenie Caribbean Cask 14-Year-Old derives its mature character from a rum cask finish.  

Inspired by a trip to France, the Balvenie 16-Year-Old French Oak reflects Stewart’s fond encounter of enjoying an aperitif. This led him to finish the whisky in Pineau des Charentes casks, resulting in a lively bouquet of lemon rind, grapefruit, geranium, glazed fruit and ginger from the wood that once held French wine. This expression evokes casual get-togethers with friends on a breezy evening and makes an ideal housewarming or thank-you gift.

Making a bold impression is The Balvenie 21-Year-Old Portwood Cask Finish. After 21 years in traditional oak casks, the rich Scotch spends its final maturation in casks that once held fine port wines, adding notes of silky honey, ripe fruit and a hint of spice. This sophisticated expression is a fitting gift for milestones like retirements or business openings.

Whether enjoyed on a special occasion or with friends, The Balvenie Cask Finishes collection elevates any moment, celebrating the art of whisky making with every sip.

Discover the finesse of The Balvenie makers and the five rare crafts with The Balvenie Cask Finishes collection.