Balvenie

Introduction:

The Balvenie distillery stands out with its unmistakable character, featuring sweet notes of honey and vanilla in all its Whiskies. These flavors are skillfully combined with different casks, creating a delightful marriage of fruity and sweet elements, making Balvenie a true representative of a Speyside distillery. The distillery’s core range includes the renowned 12-year-old Double Wood as its flagship Whisky, extending up to the impressive 30-year-old expression. As these Whiskies age, they develop even more complexity with the addition of oak and darker undertones like leather or cigars. Independent bottlings of Balvenie are relatively scarce, making cask-strength bottles from the distillery highly sought after.

Production:

Balvenie boasts a notably high production output for a Single Malt distillery, producing 5.6 million liters of alcohol annually. The distillery’s impressive setup includes five wash stills and six spirit stills. What sets Balvenie apart is its deep commitment to traditional craftsmanship, encompassing its own farm, malting floors, local spring, copper-smith, cooperage, and all the essential distillery departments.

Malt and Malting:

The barley used in Balvenie Whiskies is grown at the Balvenie Main, a 1000-acre farm featuring traditional Scottish barley. The distillery retains its traditional malting floors, offering a unique opportunity to enjoy Whiskies made in the style of the pre-industrialization era, with little to no phenol content from peat drying.

Pot Stills:

Balvenie employs five wash stills, ranging from 9,000 to 13,000 liters in capacity. These stills have a round shape and are equipped with reflux bowls. The six spirit stills are slightly larger, allowing for a slow distillation process, leading to superior separation of undesirable flavors and contributing to Balvenie’s smooth and sweet character without any sharp undertones.

Warehouse:

The warehouses at Balvenie are traditionally flat and constructed from old grey stone. The Scottish Highland climate’s influence enables slow maturation, resulting in exceptionally smooth Whiskies. The selection of casks is diverse, encompassing first-fill and refill Bourbon casks, Sherry casks, and even some exotic casks like Rum and Wine casks.

History:

Founded in 1892 by William J. Grant, the Balvenie distillery, which derives its name from ‘village of luck’, remains under the ownership of William Grant & Sons Ltd. The distillery’s early days saw the use of second-hand stills from Lagavulin, but its popularity grew, leading to expansions and renovations. Interestingly, the distillery didn’t have a distillery bottling until 1973, but today, it offers an extensive range of standard distillery Whiskies with a unified design.

Visitor Centre:

Balvenie now welcomes visitors, offering pre-booked tours that provide a glimpse into the unique and traditional production processes uncommon in the Whisky industry today. A highlight of the tour is the opportunity for visitors to bottle their own Whisky at the distillery’s warehouse.

Overall, Balvenie remains a testament to the art of crafting exceptional Whiskies with a rich history, distinctive character, and dedication to traditional craftsmanship.

Visitor information:

The Balvenie Distilley
Balvenie Maltings
Dufftown
Baffshire
AB55 4BB
Tel: +44 (0)1340-822210