File this one under rare. After all, when it comes to whiskies, The Balvenie Fifty Collection certainly ranks high on the list of unique expressions in the world of Scotch. As a part of a seamless trilogy, the collection stands as one of the brand’s most remarkable releases.
The whisky represents the interwoven stories of craftsmanship that has taken place at the Speyside distillery over the last 50 years. As such getting your hands on one of these bottles will likely be a tall order.
We say this because The Balvenie will only release 125 of these bottles annually over the next three years. The first edition – a Harrods exclusive – is a unique single cask expression aged in a European oak refill butt, filled in 1973 and selected by Malt Master, Kelsey McKechnie.
A Strong Follow-Up
The Balvenie Fifty Collection, a trilogy that redefines luxury whisky, storytelling, and craftsmanship.
For the Second Edition, McKechnie introduces a second American oak hogshead cask filled in 1973. This is married with the first, before adding a third American oak barrel filled in a 1974 cask to the marriage for the final Edition.
“Each Edition in this collection is a testament to the craftsmanship that has defined our liquid over the past 50 years,” elaborates McKechnie. “The unique characteristics of these rare casks come together to create a truly exceptional experience and set a new benchmark for our contribution to the rare and extraordinary whisky market at Balvenie.”
Using a refill butt for the First Edition in this collection provides us with a distinctive flavour thread that will run through our next two releases, demonstrating the spectrum of flavours and aromas in our aged spirit. It is a celebration of our legacy, our passion, and our unwavering commitment to producing some of the finest whiskies in the world.”
Crafting A Legacy
The bottle is cradled in bespoke wooden helix packaging.
The Balvenie craftspeople, led by the former Malter Master David Stewart, came together in 1973 to fill this cask. This kicked off decades of watchful stewardship and marking the beginning of The Balvenie Fifty Collection’s journey.
As a matter of fact, many of those craftspeople still work for The Balvenie today. Through their dedication to the brand’s five rare crafts, many new practices in whisky making have been put in place over the last half a century. This discovery of cask finishings represents a poignant attribute of the new collection.
McKechnie continues this legacy today with her approach to marrying and remarrying of casks creating a signature flavour profile across The Balvenie Collection that is complex and unique to each Edition.
The Balvenie Fifty Collection is enhanced further by the exquisite packaging developed by Croglin; a bespoke craft workshop based in Cumbria. Each presentation contains over 100 different elements, including four layers of wood in the helix structure and a beautifully crafted 14-carat gold-plated brass display.
The Second Edition and Third Edition of the collection will launch in 2025 and 2026.
