The Balvenie announces the launch of a new whisky in the Stories Range. A Rare Discovery from Distant Shores is a 27-year-old whisky that will be available in limited edition. It joins the other great stories of the brand such as The Sweet Toast of American Oak, a 12-year-old whisky, the 14-year-old The Week of Peat and The Second Red Rose, a whisky with the respectable age of 21 years. The bottles bring to life the stories of the places where The Balvenie whiskies are made. They pay homage to the boundless creativity, passion and curiosity of the distillery’s craftsmen. The new edition was able to mature 7 out of 27 years in old Caroni-rum casks.
The story of A Rare Discovery from Distant Shores is inspired by the unique bond between David C. Stewart MBE (Member of the Order of the British Empire) and his old friend and colleague John Barrett. It all revolves around the enthusiasm John managed to instil in the team at The Balvenie Whisky Stocks when he provided them with some special samples of Caroni rum. John, who has a knack for tracking down exciting spirits from all over the world, presented his discovery to David and his team. They eagerly seized the opportunity to experiment with the new flavours. The enthusiasm of the distillery staff when tasting the Caroni samples made a special impression on David and formed the basis of an exceptional new whisky.
In the course of his career, David already experimented with several original vessels. Relying on his extensive experience, the Whisky Stocks team often bought casks from him – without knowing exactly what they would do with them, but knowing that they would lead to something extraordinary in the future. The desire to experiment, combined with John’s extensive knowledge of intriguing spirits, led to a remarkable whisky and a compelling story: A Rare Discovery from Distant Shores.
Malt Master David C. Stewart MBE puts it this way: “Caroni is a cult drink enjoyed by rum lovers around the world. The spirit is rare and fascinating, especially since the distillery no longer exists. Utterly unique, Caroni is a rum with a powerful character, bold and full of potential. So the perfect basis for the creation of a very special The Balvenie whisky.” After storing the Caribbean spirit in Trinidad for 10 years, the exceptional casks were transported to Scotland and kept in Dufftown awaiting a new mission. Until David decided to affine 20-year-old Balvenie whiskies in them.
The old Caroni casks give the distillery’s whiskies honeyed notes. This created a rich, dark whisky with hints of muscovado sugar and a touch of Manuka honey. The divine nectar that is A Rare Discovery from Distant Shores will only be two years in limited availability.
Charles Metcalfe, Global Brand Ambassador of The Balvenie, continued: “Caroni is a distillery that has produced extraordinary rums and earned the respect of connoisseurs around the world over the past 20 years. The influence these casks, in which the powerful rum from Trinidad was able to mature, have on The Balvenie’s older whiskies is truly remarkable.”
The story continues on the packaging. Which is decorated with a custom-made illustration by British artist Andy Lovell, showing David Stewart in his sample room. Andy was inspired by the distillery and his artwork can also be seen on the labels and boxes of the entire The Balvenie Stories collection. His hand-drawn illustrations capture the unique light, landscape and atmosphere of the distillery. Andy’s illustrations highlight the importance of human creativity in the production of The Balvenie whisky and the exceptional flavours that can develop when craftsmen put their heart and soul into their work.
A piece of Scotland in Belgium
The Balvenie pays a visit to Belgium where an exceptional tasting took place in Antwerp at the gallery of Daisy Verheyden. This talented artist-smith shares the sense of sophistication, creativity and passion for craftsmanship written into The Balvenie’s DNA. She invited Alexis Sang, Brand Ambassador of The Balvenie Belux, to present the precious single malt whiskies. Having studied at the Fine Arts department of Sint-Lucas in Antwerp, Daisy has been making bold jewellery with rare finesse for more than 25 years. Like the craftsmen at The Balvenie, she is constantly looking for the perfect match. To do so, she is guided by her creative instinct and honours an ancestral craft to create a collection of exceptionally fine jewellery.
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