The Balvenie has released an Eighty-Eight-Year-Old Single Malt scotch whisky, the oldest expression in its history, as part of The 1931 Collection. The whisky was distilled in 1931 and bottled in 2019 by malt master Kelsey McKechnie, with just 17 bottles in existence.
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READ THE STORYThe liquid was filled into a European oak sherry butt sourced from Jerez, Spain, on 5 March 1931. Recorded as cask #239, it lay in the Speyside distillery’s warehouse for 88 years before McKechnie determined it had reached maturity.
“Today marks a seminal moment in The Balvenie’s history as we unveil our oldest whisky, ever,” said McKechnie. “It is both inspiring and humbling to be the malt master to bring this precious liquid to the world.”
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McKechnie described the whisky as “a sensorial experience evoking the serene silence of evergreen woods”. According to the brand’s official notes, the nose offers “honey, subtle mint leaf and buttery fudge”, while the palate reveals “rich aromatic oak” flowing into “creamy toffee, velvety honey and a warming spice”. The finish is long and drying.
The cask inspired two further limited-edition releases.
The 1931 Collection Twelve-Year-Old is made from 100% home-malted barley, matured in American oak and finished in ex-sherry European oak butts from Jerez. The Fifteen-Year-Old is made from 100% home-grown and home-malted barley, following a similar maturation process.
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Charles Metcalfe, global ambassador at The Balvenie, said: “Once in a while, a whisky comes along that is so remarkable it has the potential to shape the future of scotch.”
The Balvenie has collaborated with New York-based artist Daniel Arsham, who designed a sculptural form for the Eighty-Eight-Year-Old. Crafted from eight layers of hand-patinated bronze, the piece contains a copper disc made from a decommissioned distillery still.
“I wanted to create something that feels both ancient and contemporary, to make the passage of time tangible,” said Arsham.
The collection will debut at Frieze Seoul through an immersive performance directed by Arsham.
The Eighty-Eight-Year-Old is available to private clients and collectors. The Fifteen-Year-Old (MSRP: US$199.99/£148) is available from September through global travel retail, while the Twelve-Year-Old (MSRP: US$99.99/£74) is available in selected markets.
