The Balvenie

Overlooking the field of Glenfiddich are the remains of a famous old Scottish fortress: Balvenie Castle. Originally constructed in the 12th century, the castle has played host to inhabitants such as Robert the Bruce and Mary Queen of Scots. The ruins now keep watch over some of the finest distilleries in Speyside, for it was here that William Grant created the distillery that would become Balvenie.

Every distillery will proudly trumpet what makes it different, or makes its whiskies superior to others. The Balvenie has the advantage of being able to identify a number of factors that, in combination, only they offer. They describe it as the ‘Five Rare Crafts’ of malt whisky. Others may offer some of these ‘Crafts’, but no other distillery can claim to offer all five.

The barley for their whiskies comes from their own adjoining farm. It provides a means of maintaining quality throughout the process. They also add complexity to the taste by malting their own barley in the traditional method. The Balvenie Distillery has the last active floor maltings to be found in the Scottish Highlands. Their own coppersmiths maintain the stills, and they still have their own team of coopers, working on the principle that casks are vital to ensuring every bottle of The Balvenie offers the traditional honeyed flavours associated with their whiskies. Having their own team is the best way to guarantee this. Finally, they look to the expertise and experience of their Malt Master, David Stewart.

They have come a very long way from a crumbling castle, to be recognised as one of the great Speyside malt whisky distilleries. ADDRESS: Balvenie Maltings, Dufftown, Scotland T: +44 (0) 1340 822 210 W: www.thebalvenie.com Visit: Book in advance Craft Barley growing on Balvenie Mains Farm

The Balvenie Distillery WHEN YOUR 12 YEAR OLD Turns 25

The team at The Balvenie has been making their signature DoubleWood 12-Year-Old for a quarter of a century; a landmark that has instigated a yearlong celebration at The Balvenie. In honour of this handcrafted single malt Scotch whisky the Speyside distillery will highlight the pioneering work of Malt Master David C. Stewart MBE, while also paying tribute to the many distillery craftsmen and women who made DoubleWood the expression it is today.

The Balvenie DoubleWood Aged 12 Years traces its origins back to 1982, when David C. Stewart MBE began experimenting with double-cask maturation, or ‘wood finishing’, by transferring 12-YearOld Balvenie into oloroso sherry casks. Now commonplace in whisky production, wood finishing involves taking mature liquid from one cask and finishing it for a number of months in another – a process that further develops its character, flavour and depth.

The success of David’s trials led to the release of The Balvenie Classic in 1983. Buoyed by the response this garnered, in 1993 The Balvenie released DoubleWood Aged 12 Years, a whisky that begins its journey in traditional whisky casks for 12 years, before being transferred into Spanish sherry oak for a further nine months for final maturation. This adds a layer of depth and fullness not to be obtained from other maturation methods.

Commenting on the anniversary, David says, “DoubleWood’s creation and subsequent success is an achievement of major personal pride for me. It makes me very happy to know that a technique I helped pioneer all those years ago has now become a common practice in the whisky industry. But DoubleWood wouldn’t be the whisky it is today without the hard work and dedication of all the distillery craftsmen who have contributed to its development over the years. The 25th anniversary celebrations give us all a perfect opportunity to come together and raise a dram to this wonderful liquid.”