The Balvenie is no stranger to old Scotch. In the last couple years they’ve released the Rare Marriages Twenty-Five, the 42-year-old Tale of the Dog, and the Fifty Marriage 0614. Now, the Speyside distillery is taking things even further with the launch of their oldest and rarest whisky ever, Balvenie Sixty.
A single cask bottling from 1962, The Balvenie Sixty marks the anniversary of renowned Malt Master David C. Stewart MBE, who is celebrating six decades at the distillery–making him the longest serving Malt Master in industry history.
Throughout his time at The Balvenie, David C. Stewart MBE has pioneered techniques that have had a profound impact on the whisky making processes used today; most notably his developments around ‘cask finishes’, which led to a new way of creating flavor in whisky and a technique adopted in whisky making the world over.
A fitting tribute to David’s esteemed career, this single cask was selected by The Balvenie’s Kelsey McKechnie, who has been mentored by Stewart for the past four years. “I have learned so much from David at work. His mentorship has made a profound impact on me and finding a cask to fit such an incredible character in the Distillery’s history is a great honor.”
“On the nose the whisky has a mesmerizing array of autumnal aromas; lavender, heather and bracken,” says McKechnie. “Whilst rich toffee, roasted coffee and beautifully layered oak dominate the palate. The flavor evolves with time revealing bursts of cloves, nutmeg, charred oak and candied orange in an exceptional long lasting finish”
Malt Master David C. Stewart MBE commented: “I started at the distillery in 1962, as a whisky stocks clerk, this liquid; a new make spirit was filled into a collection of traditional European Oak Hogshead casks. For six decades it has rested and matured, now marking quite a poignant moment for me on my journey.’’
The packaging, meanwhile, resembles a work of art; made from glass, gold and brass.
The tube casing was designed to reflect layers of memories from David’ career. With five layers each etched with personal anecdotes from influential individuals along David’s journey. The sixth decade is the elegant bottle itself, made from hand-blown crystal and containing a quote from McKechnie to represent this current decade, and the future generations of The Balvenie.
It is a perfectly layered, ethereal take on a lifetime of memories justly representing the significance of David’s career to The Balvenie and the whisky industry at large.
Bottled at 42.4% ABV, The Balvenie Sixty is priced at $145,000. It will be available in the U.S. in 2023 (final timing to be confirmed), in extremely limited quantities.
For more information, head over to The Balvenie’s official website.
Last week, Questlove and The Balvenie announced they are returning for a second season of the award-winning digital series, Quest for Craft.
