Whisky Focus - The Balvenie Forty Balvenie's Rarest Whisky Yet

The Balvenie introduces its rarest expression yet, The Balvenie Forty.

The Balvenie Malt Master, David Stewart’s latest creation, The Balvenie Forty, is an extremely rare, unique expression that’s the result of the marriage of some of The Balvenie’s rarest whiskies.

To produce this wonderfully refined, complex and honeyed single malt Scotch whisky, David Stewart and his team of skilled craftsmen have kept a watchful eye on all of the casks of rare whisky stored in The Balvenie Distillery’s warehouse for many decades, ensuring that the contents mature beautifully over time.

With almost 50 years of whisky making experience, David Stewart used his unparalleled expertise in single malt maturation to select a small amount of The Balvenie from six of these casks - three sherry butts and three refill hogsheads - to handcraft a rare and complex expression that will enthuse and intrigue whisky aficionados and collectors alike.

The aroma of The Balvenie Forty is deep and rich, with fragrant floral notes, underpinned by sweet vanilla oak, fresh fruit and hints of raisin, sultana and spice. Its taste is a lusciously creamy complexity of sweet vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg and oak, combined with a mouth-watering sensation of butter toffee and delicious sherried richness.

Of this rare batch, Malt Master, David Stewart, said: “The Balvenie, being the most handcrafted Single Malt Scotch Whisky, really does stand the test of time. We are fortunate to have some very special old casks so the selection process, for me, has been a really interesting and fulfilling experience. The quality of the liquid is a true testament to the level of craftsmanship at our distillery and the care and time that go into our hands-on whisky-making processes.”

Presented in a bespoke wooden box, handmade in oak by Scottish craftsman Sam Chinnery and hand-engraved by Sam’s father, a limited number of bottles of this expression will be available in the UK, at specialist retailers, from November 2011 at £2,500 (RRP).

Dr Andrew Forrester, The Balvenie’s UK Ambassador concludes: “The Balvenie Forty has a beautifully rounded taste of sweet creamy vanilla, butter toffee and fresh fruit. This is a whisky that really has stood the test of time well. Both balanced and complex, it is truly rare yet retains The Balvenie’s honeyed, sweet character.”
 

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