The Balvenie Tun 1401
Batch
9 exclusively available in the US.
The
Balvenie has announced the release of
its latest expression in the very
popular Tun 1401 series, The Balvenie
Tun 1401 Batch 9. Like Batch 3 (2011) &
6 (2012) this latest release in the
series has been exclusively created for
the U.S. market.
It will be available in limited supply
from the beginning of October
2013, this rare batch includes
exceptional and precious liquid from a
number of casks specially selected by
the industry’s longest-serving Malt
Master, David Stewart. David’s first
batch of Tun 1401 was released in 2010,
for sale only at The Balvenie’s Speyside
Distillery.
Inspired by and produced in one of the
oldest warehouses at The Balvenie
Distillery, The Balvenie Tun 1401, Batch
9 is a skilful marriage of some of the
rarest treasures from the distillery’s
Warehouse 24. This latest batch of Tun
1401 represents an unrepeatable
selection of spirits sourced from eleven
traditional whisky casks and three
sherry butts, whose ages span a number
of decades, and which have all been
hand-selected by Stewart.
The whisky rested for several months in
Tun 1401 – one of the distillery’s
unique marrying vessels – to create a
single malt that is greater than its
already precious parts.
The casks
numbers in the Batch 9 vatting are:
Traditional American Whisky Casks
Cask
No. 15921
Cask No. 5034
Cask No. 5249
Cask No. 55
Cask No. 12871
Cask No. 15326
Cask No. 6564
Cask No. 5826
Cask No. 13461
Cask No. 1635
Cask No. 939
Sherry Butts
Cask No. 12612
Cask No. 13572
Cask No. 13135
After David Stewart selected these
casks, they were all transferred into
the now famous Balvenie Tun 1401, which
is a traditional oak marrying vessel
cared for by the distillery’s on-site
team of coopers. It was left to marry, this process allows
the constituent parts that have aged
from across decades to come together and
create an exceptionally complex single
malt Scotch whisky.
"We’ve identified what we believe to be
an unprecedented range of liquids to
comprise this Tun 1401 batch from the
vast library of very rare whisky
currently maturing at The Balvenie
Distillery," said David Stewart, Malt
Master for The Balvenie. "The end result
is a complex and completely unique
marriage characterized by dark fruits
and marmalade on the nose. Its richness
and smoothness is underpinned with dark
chocolate sweetness, delicate honey
notes and a distinctly long, spicy
finish.”
The Balvenie Tun 1401 Batch 9 was
hand-bottled at 49.3% ABV, it is a
limited release with an RRP of $250.
For the
travellers amongst you look out for
Batch 10 in March 2014 when the Balvenie
plan to release Batch 10 exclusively in
Global Travel Retail.
The Balvenie Tun 1401 Batch 9 Tasting
Notes
Producer's Tasting Notes:
Nose:
On the Nose, Batch 9 is an intricate
blend of elegant oak, dark fruits and
marmalade.
Taste:
This unique whisky tastes of opulent
sherried fruitiness and mature oak
tannins balanced with hints of honey and
dark chocolate.
Finish:
The finish has a spicy outburst which
lingers on the rich, syrupy finish.
The Balvenie Tun 1401 Batches 1 to 9
Balvenie Tun 1401 Batch 1
The first batch was made for distillery
visitors only, and was created from 6
casks – a 1973 Sherry Butt, a 1972
Sherry Hogshead and American casks from
1966, 1974, 1978 and 1988.
Balvenie Tun 1401 Batch 2
Released only in the UK, Europe, Asia, and
South Africa and is made up of 10 casks,
mostly from the 1970s with one from the
1960s and one from the 1980s.
Balvenie Tun 1401 Batch 3
Similar to batch 2, but was made for US
distribution only. Due for release Fall
2011.
Video - Creation of Balvenie Tun 1401
Batch 3
Balvenie Tun 1401 Batch 4
Made for travel retail. Mr Stewart
normally allows three months for the
marrying period, but batch four was married for a
total of four months.
Balvenie Tun 1401 Batch
5
Batch 5 released worldwide, made up of 9 casks, five traditional
American oak casks from 1966, 1972,
1973, 1974 and 1991 and four sherry
butts distilled in 1970, 1971, 1972 and
1975. All married in the impressive Tun
1401.
Balvenie Tun 1401 Batch
6
The Balvenie Tun 1401 Batch 6, this is
the 2nd batch to be released exclusively
in the United States. Released in
October 2012.
Balvenie Tun 1401 Batch
7
The Balvenie Tun 1401 Batch 7, this is
the 2nd batch to be released exclusively
in Global Travel Retail. Released in
January 2013.
Balvenie Tun 1401 Batch
8
The Balvenie Tun
1401 Batch 8 is a limited release of
2700 bottles and will be available in
the UK, Europe and Australasia. Released
in June 2013.
How do the batches differ?
When asked how he expects the batches to
differ, Balvenie Malt Master David Stewart
said, "…the batches do have some
similarity but if one were to line the
batches up for sampling, which I
haven’t done yet, we might be surprised
by the differences that there are. I
think that each has this citrus orangey
flavour which seems consistent…"
Where To Buy The Balvenie Whisky
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