{"title":"The Balvenie Whisky","description":"","products":[{"product_id":"balvenie-12yo-1st-fill-american-oak-single-barrel","title":"Balvenie 12YO Single Barrel","description":"\u003cp\u003eIf you were to take a guided tour of The \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/the-balvenie\"\u003eBalvenie\u003c\/a\u003e distillery, you’d be able to draw whisky directly from a cask in Warehouse 24. With The Balvenie Single Barrel First Fill, you can essentially enjoy a similar ‘straight-from-the-cask’ experience. That is because each bottle of The Balvenie Single Barrel First Fill has been matured exclusively in a single first fill American oak ex-Bourbon barrel for 12 years.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAmerican oak barrels are very popular in Scotland, it’s estimated that up to 90% of all Scotch is matured in American oak casks, because they impart beautiful notes of vanilla and spice to the maturing spirit. The “first fill” part comes from these barrels being used to mature Scotch whisky for the first time, after that they’ll be known as “second fill” and later yet, as “refill” casks and first fill casks impart the strongest amount of flavour to the new malt spirit. Each bottle is drawn from a single cask of a single distillation run, with each cask yielding no more than 300 bottles. No two casks, even of the same wood type and filled with spirit from the same distillation will produce identical single malt, making each Single Barrel bottling unique and unrepeatable. The process is completed when each bottle is hand-numbered with the number of the cask in which it was matured.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eStewart samples hundreds of casks using his exceptional nosing skills, refined throughout his remarkable 50-year career, and selects for Single Barrel bottling only those casks that share a consistent character of sweetness and subtle vanilla oak. Speaking of the process, he said. “There are very subtle differences from cask to cask and it gave me great satisfaction to sample these casks to find the finest ones. Each cask is unique and that is what makes each bottle of the Single Barrel First Fill 12 Year Old so exceptional.”\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe Balvenie Single Barrel First Fill 12 Year Old is a non chill-filtered release with an ABV of 47.8%.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"The Balvenie Distillery","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46489894682703,"sku":"WC0019","price":140.0,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0722\/1185\/7487\/files\/balvenie_12.png?v=1787700861"},{"product_id":"the-balvenie-the-second-red-rose","title":"The Balvenie The Second Red Rose","description":"\u003cp\u003eIn 2008, \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/the-balvenie\"\u003eThe Balvenie\u003c\/a\u003e dropped The First Red Rose, which was not only an amazing whisky encapsulating the Red Rose story but also a hit with collectors, with bottles now fetching upwards of $4,500 at auctions. It was a liquid of such intriguing colour and taste that it would become the talk of Dufftown for many years to come. It’s story, and the one of its successor, The Second Red Rose, began many centuries ago in a castle high on a Speyside Hill…\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eMargaret Douglas, a widow, lived in Balvenie Castle for many years. Her rent payable to King James took the form of one exquisite red rose. This red rose, so the story goes, had a magenta hue, and was considered not only to be extremely beautiful, but very valuable too.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eCenturies later, with the Balvenie distillery on the edge of the land from the Balvenie Castle, the tale of the rare red flower lives on. Says Malt Master David Stewart: “The aim was to create a deeply vibrant whisky, to evoke the flower in question. That’s where it all began. It all came together beautifully, the significance of the rose, the colour, wanting the story to come to life”.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eWhile The First Red Rose used Port pipe casks to create that red tinge in the whisky, in a history-making first for the distillery The Second Red Rose is finished in Red Wine casks. But not just any old casks; in an unprecedented move, they’ve used Australian Shiraz casks, giving a distinctive blush to the 21 Year Old whisky, and a sweetly vibrant, rounded depth of flavour.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe nose is gentle but really blossoms, opening to reveal intense ripe fruits, fresh mango and subtle oak. The palate gives an initial burst of blackberry and ripe peach sweetness amongst gentle woody spice, before the decadently long lingering finish takes over with summer fruits and soft indulgent oak.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIt's liquid luxury in a glass and epitomises why Balvenie has become one of the highest awarded and sought-after single malts on the planet; one to “go straight to the pool room” to be saved for a special moment.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eOrders for The Balvenie The Second Red Rose have now closed. \u003ca href=\"#\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSign Up free\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e now to get your hands on our upcoming releases.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"The Balvenie Distillery","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46489951666255,"sku":"WC0227","price":525.0,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0722\/1185\/7487\/files\/balveniesecondredrose_pdp_main.png?v=1787701228"},{"product_id":"the-balvenie-a-rare-discovery-from-distant-shores-27-year-old","title":"The Balvenie 27YO Caroni Rum Cask Finish","description":"\u003cp\u003eWhat happens when you put 20 Year Old Balvenie in the world’s rarest rum casks for seven years? Simple answer: glory.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIntroducing: The Balvenie \u003cem\u003e‘A Rare Discovery From Distant Shores’\u003c\/em\u003e 27 YO Caroni Rum Cask Finish.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis story started back in November 2009 when Balvenie Malt Master David C Stewart received samples from legendary lost Caribbean rum distillery, Caroni. The \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/the-balvenie\"\u003eBalvenie\u003c\/a\u003e team duly hunted down some of the last remaining barrels and brought them over to Scotland. Five years later, they emptied these casks and immediately filled them with 20 year old Balvenie whisky.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eBalvenie are the world whisky leaders who created cask finishing and have experimented with rum casks more than any other distillery. “Caroni,” David explains, “has become a kind of cult spirit, followed by rum fanatics all over the world. It’s rare, it’s fascinating, all because the distillery is no more.”\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“Caroni is totally unique, a heavy rum, bold, characterful and full of potential to create a really special Balvenie.”\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eUnder David’s care Balvenie’s decadent whisky melded with the rare Caroni rum casks to make the ultimate rum cask finished single malt: the nose is \u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eindulgent Muscovado sugar\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eManuka honey\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003egreen banana\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e and \u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003elight spice\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e. The palate is \u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ebeautifully smooth\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e with \u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003evelvet vanilla\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e while an initial burst of \u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003etreacle toffee\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e compliments \u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eaged leather\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e and \u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003edeep oak tannin\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e. And the finish….\u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003elong\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003elingering\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e and \u003cstrong\u003e\u003cem\u003esweet\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e with a \u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ewonderfully oily mouth coating\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eCaroni last produced rum in 2002 before being sold off to Angostura after which the distillery was demolished. Today, rum fanatics have Caroni fever, trying to hunt down any new release of the last remaining casks with these rums selling for up to $7,000 a bottle.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eDue to the utter scarcity of Caroni rum, this is one of the smallest Balvenie releases outside of their Single Casks, and we have the entire Australian allocation. Rapidly selling out worldwide, this is an unprecedented chance to secure one of the final releases from the longest serving Master Blender in Scotland.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAvailable exclusively to Members, the only way to get a bottle is to \u003ca href=\"#\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ejoin the Club\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e. Don’t miss out.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"The Balvenie Distillery","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46489972998223,"sku":"WC0281","price":1995.0,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0722\/1185\/7487\/files\/balvenie27_pdp_main.png?v=1787701363"},{"product_id":"the-balvenie-19-year-old-oloroso-cask","title":"The Balvenie 19 Year Old Oloroso Cask","description":"\u003cp\u003eThis stunning 19-year-old brings a new depth to The Balvenie’s ultra collectible and much coveted ‘Stories' series. Matured fully in European oak ex-Oloroso Sherry casks to bring about a stronger and more intense flavour profile, the story behind \u003cem\u003eThe Balvenie 19 Year Old: Revelation of Cask \u0026amp; Character\u003c\/em\u003e celebrates the rich history of coopering at the Speyside distillery.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eHead Cooper Ian McDonald has been working at \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/the-balvenie\"\u003eThe Balvenie\u003c\/a\u003e since 1969, building an extensive knowledge of working with casks — in particular from Spanish bodegas. The distillery happens to be one of the few remaining distilleries in the whole of Scotland to maintain an on-site cooperage as well as Cooper’s apprenticeship programme to ensure the fine art of of coopering carries on through to the next generation.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eMalt Master Kelsey McKechnie describes the ninth expression of the ‘Stories’ series as \u003cem\u003e“the perfect way to showcase the journey of our Coopers, representing Ian’s work with Spanish bodegas. It’s a really rich expression, with familiar honey smoothness revealing \u003cstrong\u003elayers of spice\u003c\/strong\u003e, and \u003cstrong\u003eintense ripe fruits\u003c\/strong\u003e like a \u003cstrong\u003efreshly baked Christmas cake\u003c\/strong\u003e, \u003cstrong\u003ecurrants\u003c\/strong\u003e and \u003cstrong\u003eraisins\u003c\/strong\u003e then giving way to \u003cstrong\u003echewy fig\u003c\/strong\u003e, and a \u003cstrong\u003elong creamy\u003c\/strong\u003e, \u003cstrong\u003enutty finish\u003c\/strong\u003e. It has deep layers of flavour, all created by maturation solely in European oak ex-Sherry casks and showcasing our Coopers’ craft perfectly.”\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAt a beautifully balanced 47.5% ABV, this craft single malt is presented non-chill filtered with natural colour. The label continues with the ‘Stories’ theme, featuring a bespoke illustration by British artist Andy Lovell which depicts The Balvenie distillery’s cooperage.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis rich single malt also hails the dawn of a new era for The Balvenie: the first release since former Malt Master David C. Stewart MBE was succeeded by his protégée, Kelsey McKechnie. If you’re a Balvenie collector, don’t miss this fantastically exciting chance to get the first whisky from Kelsey — the kind of opportunity that doesn’t come around often.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eFor the whisky nerds who want to know even more about this special release, The Balvenie have a podcast episode about the story behind this whisky: \u003ca title=\"Episode 9: A Revelation of Cask and Character\" href=\"https:\/\/open.spotify.com\/episode\/4eZek5CU66Vzjrv87UkTfz?si=149d9bdda0dc45a0\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eEpisode 9: A Revelation of Cask and Character\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe whole national allocation for this limited edition malt came directly to The Whisky Club, just for Members. So if you’re not yet part of the biggest whisky community in Australia, \u003ca title=\" jump onboard and join free today \" href=\"#\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ejump onboard and join free today\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e before it’s too late.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"The Balvenie Distillery","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46490005471311,"sku":"WC0354","price":590.0,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0722\/1185\/7487\/files\/balvenie19_pdp_main.png?v=1787701574"},{"product_id":"the-balvenie-single-barrel-12-year-old","title":"The Balvenie First Fill 12 Year Old Single Barrel","description":"\u003cp\u003eThe formerly discontinued Balvenie 12 Year Old Single Barrel is back with a vengeance, exclusively for Club Members.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eFully-fledged and full-flavoured: 100% first-fill casks, no added colour, non-chill filtered, and bottled at a deluxe 47.8% ABV.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eDon’t get stuck paying $200 for Balvenie’s legendary Single Barrel – we’re bringing you \u003cem\u003ethe \u003c\/em\u003eBalvenie for whisky geeks for $140.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThanks to the Club’s close relationship with The Balvenie distillery, we’ve been granted unprecedented access to celebrate the return of this heroic whisky in style. Bursting with \u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003emaple syrup\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003egentle citrus\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e, and \u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ebuttered raisin toast\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e with \u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003elingering oak sweetness\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e, we’ve worked alongside The Balvenie’s Malt Master in hand-picking the most unctuous, chewy first-fills barrels. This is an \u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eexclusive \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/em\u003ebarrel selection, just for Club Members here in Australia.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eWith each barrel yielding a maximum of 300 bottles, Balvenie bottled and labelled each by hand, so you’ll know the exact barrel yours came from – down to the individual bottle number.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eFor anyone who missed out on the chance years ago to taste the original release, these first-fill casks went down in history with whisky lovers and experts alike with countless plaudits. And on top of the TWELVE gold medals (yes, 12!) to its name, it also took out a Trophy at the International Spirits Challenge.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eYou’ll be able to raise a glass knowing \u003cem\u003eyou \u003c\/em\u003ewere a part of the first ever Balvenie Barrel Pick in whisky history, and have a personally selected Single Barrel bottle on your shelf.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eThis\u003c\/em\u003e is why you Whisky Club.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eMembers, this was your January Whisky of the Month, an absolute baller of a dram to be kicking off 2025 with.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eNot yet a Member? \u003ca title=\"Join the Club\" href=\"#\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eJoin the Club\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e FREE to get your hands on our next release.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"The Balvenie Distillery","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46490042662991,"sku":"WC0432","price":140.0,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0722\/1185\/7487\/files\/wotm_pdp_main_new.png?v=1787701781"}],"url":"https:\/\/thewhiskyclub.com.au\/collections\/the-balvenie.oembed","provider":"The Whisky Club AU","version":"1.0","type":"link"}