Ballantine's has reveals the second 'chapter' in its collection of 40-year-old blended Scotch whiskies. The Ballantine's 40 Years Old Masterclass Collection is a five-part series paying homage to the five people to have held the title of 'master blender' for the brand.

Chapter Two of the collection is 'The Waiting', which draws inspiration from the patience needed when blending high-aged whiskies. Current Ballantine's master blender Sandy Hyslop used casks laid down by his predecessor Jack Goudy, to whom Hyslop was once apprenticed. 

Hyslop explained: “Time brings distinction to a whisky, but it also brings huge responsibility. You need a combination of patience, passion and dedication to meticulously monitor and nose hundreds of samples a day to pinpoint the exact moment that a flavour profile has reached its maximum potential. It has to be exactly right because there’s no turning back the clock!

“Jack Goudy taught me how to play the long game, and I’m repeating these lessons to my own team to preserve the stature and legacy of Ballantine’s for many years to come.”

Ballantine's says the long maturation in American oak casks has given the blend intensity, with "smooth, sweet" flavours and a hint of smoke.

Ballantine’s 40 Years Old Masterclass Collection: Chapter Two The Waiting is bottled at a cask strength of 45.4% ABV. It will be available at RSP US$12,000 via specialist retailers worldwide from December 2024, in a limited run of 108 bottles. The remaining chapters will be released annually, leading up to Chapter Five in 2027, to coincide with Ballantine's 200th anniversary.