The Balvenie Single Malt Scotch Whisky has announced two new limited edition single cask expressions within its Stories Range: a 14-Year-Old American Bourbon Barrel and an 18-Year-Old French Pineau Cask Finish.
Aged for 14 years, the American Bourbon Barrel single malt Scotch is 95.6 proof. The French Pineau Cask is aged 10 years in a combination of ex-bourbon and European oak casks, followed by 8 years in casks that previously held wine from the French Charentes vineyards, which resulted in a 95.8 proof spirit.
Released as “A Collection of Curious Casks,” this pairing of Stories expressions are meant to highlight environment of The Balvenie’s warehouses. Each expression celebrates the power of close friendship and collaboration between The Balvenie’s Malt Master Kelsey McKechnie and Warehouse and Samples Coordinator George Paterson.
“This collection perfectly exemplifies the rare and limited Balvenie casks making their debut,” says The Balvenie Malt Master Kelsey McKechnie. “It is an honor to collaborate daily with talented craftspeople like George, who dedicates his time and craft to shepherding our casks to distinction and bringing our liquid to life. I am delighted to share this opportunity with him, showcasing his expertise and sharing his knowledge of our warehouses with the world.”
These single casks also take inspiration from the private warehouse tastings run by Paterson, which he uses as an opportunity to showcase the distillery’s “hidden gems,” featuring rare whiskies and unusual casks with unexpected character.
“Many would say that I have one of the best jobs in the world working in our warehouses, and drawing samples and monitoring those extra special finishes,” says The Balvenie Samples Coordinator George Paterson. “A true highlight for me is being able to identify the hidden gems, casks that are doing the unexpected and bring to life the conversations about them. It is from these moments shared throughout history and relentless curiosity at The Balvenie that brilliant ideas are born.”
A Collection of Curios Casks join other Stories bottlings, such as 12 Year Old The Sweet Toast of American Oak, 42 Year Old The Tale of the Dog and more recently, the 19-Year-Old A Revelation of Cask and Character.
The Balvenie 14-Year-Old American Bourbon Barrel and The Balvenie 18-Year-Old French Pineau Cask Finish retail for $114.99 and $399.99, respectively.
