The Balvenie has introduced the latest addition to its renowned Cask Finishes Range: The Balvenie 12 Year Old Golden Cask, a tropical-inspired single malt shaped by two unique climates. Available exclusively in Global Travel Retail from November 2024, this whisky is said to have been crafted for those seeking a vibrant and exotic expression.
The Balvenie 12 Year Old Golden Cask begins with 12 years of maturation in traditional ex-bourbon casks, establishing the hallmark Balvenie profile of warm honey and smooth vanilla. From there, it’s finished in rum-seasoned casks specially blended by Malt Master Kelsey McKechnie at The Balvenie’s Speyside distillery. Inspired by the mellowing warmth of Caribbean-aged rum combined with the slower aging process of rum in Scotland, McKechnie created a custom blend to season the casks. Once the rum’s sweetness has soaked into the wood, these casks are filled with mature whisky, enhancing its honeyed notes with rich layers of baked tropical fruit, depth, and complexity.
Kelsey McKechnie, Malt Master, said: "This carefully selected blend has created something truly special to season the casks and get them ready to be refilled with a 12 Year Old whisky, aged in ex-bourbon casks. This unique cask finishing process reveals a whisky that’s vibrant and tropical, yet beautifully complex.
"On the nose, you’ll find hints of ripe bananas, vanilla, subtle pecan biscuit, and toffee peanut brittle. The palate is equally rich, with toasted oak, woody spice, and soft sun-baked dried fruits balanced with decadent toffee and sweet malted barley. It’s a journey of flavours that we’re incredibly proud of."
The Balvenie's Cask Finishes Range honours a whisky-making method pioneered by The Balvenie Malt Master, David C. Stewart MBE, in 1982. Today, cask finishing has become a hallmark of The Balvenie, providing whisky enthusiasts with a distinctive experience of depth, age, and flavour.
Joining this celebrated line-up, The Balvenie 12 Year Old Golden Cask debuts alongside The Balvenie 15 Year Old Madeira Cask, The Balvenie 18 Year Old PX Sherry Cask, and The Balvenie 21 Year Old Portwood Cask—all exclusive to Global Travel Retail. Bottled at 43% ABV, The Balvenie 12 Year Old Golden Cask will be available in select Global Travel Retail outlets starting in November 2024.
Its floor maltings have been retained and although this only makes up a small percentage (up to 15%) of the total mash, it is believed that it helps contribute character to the new make – the small amount of peat which is burned might help. Given that Balvenie has only opened to visitors in recent times, it certainly wasn’t kept for cosmetic or touristic reasons.
It’s a large distillery with nine, fat, short-necked stills producing a new make character which is notably sweet and honeyed – completely different to both Glenfiddich and Kininvie. Interestingly, when William Grant built its Ailsa Bay malt distillery in Girvan, the still shape replicated that of Balvenie, but the new make is different again.
This was one of the first distilleries to introduce a ‘finished’ single malt with the launch in 1993 of Double Wood, which was first aged in ex-Bourbon casks before being given a short period of secondary maturation (aka finishing) in ex-Sherry.
This utilisation of different wood types runs through the Balvenie range with a new 17-year-old Double Wood recently joining Caribbean Cask (ex-rum) 14 year old, and the 21-year-old Port Wood as part of the core range. As well as single barrel releases and older age variants up to 50 years in the range, a cult small batch, Tun 1401, has also recently appeared, followed by Tun 1509.
Balvenie was built on a 12 acre site adjacent to Glenfiddich in 1892/3. Originally known as Glen Gordon it took the name of the huge (ruined) castle which was located next door. The ‘new’ castle, already derelict in 1893, was turned into maltings.
The distillery provided fillings, primarily for the Grant’s Standfast blend, until 1973 when the first official bottling was made. Its continued requirements as a contributor to blends initially restricted its growth as a stand-alone brand (although increasing its cult status). This was eased slightly with the opening of Kininvie in 1990, but it was only with the building of Ailsa Bay that greater stocks were finally made available. It is now one of the fastest-growing single malt brands in the world.
