Blended Scotch giant Ballantine's is launching a series of 40-year-old whiskies to celebrate its past and present master blenders.
The five expressions in the 40 Years Old Masterclass Collection will pay tribute to the five 'essential skills' honed by Ballantine's master blenders Jack Goudy, who served from 1959 to 1994, and Sandy Hyslop, who served as Goudy's apprentice before succeeding him in the role. The spirits used for the collection come from casks laid down by Goudy – including some from distilleries that have since closed – and have been blended by Hyslop.
The first release in the collection, named 'The Remembering', will mark Hyslop's 40th anniversary in the whisky industry in 2023. It features liquid from the now-closed Dumbarton Distillery, known for its use of traditional Coffey stills, which has been matured in American oak casks. Tasting notes from Ballantine's say the whisky has notes of red apple, clove, and toffee.
Hyslop said: "This is an incredibly special and poignant collection to work on, as I was taken back to my early days spent in the warehouse with Jack. The fact that Jack nosed these whiskies holds special significance, and this first chapter is a tribute to the distinctive character of Ballantine’s and the guidance and inspiration on which I’ve built my own skills. The lessons I learnt from Jack are repeated to my own team now, and they’ll be continued to be passed on in years to come.”
‘The Remembering’ is presented in individually numbered bottles, decorated by hand and infilled with gold, which are housed in presentation boxes dressed in 3D paper art by Scottish artist Kyla McCallum. It will also be the first Ballantine's NFT release, in partnership with blockchain-backed wine and spirits marketplace BlockBar.
Ballantine's 40 Years Old Masterclass Collection: 'The Remembering' launches in late April 2023. Only 108 bottles are being made available, including 27 being released into the global travel retail channel. Expressions in the Masterclass Collection will be released regularly with the final instalment due in 2027 to coincide with Ballantine's' 200th anniversary.
The five expressions in the 40 Years Old Masterclass Collection will pay tribute to the five 'essential skills' honed by Ballantine's master blenders Jack Goudy, who served from 1959 to 1994, and Sandy Hyslop, who served as Goudy's apprentice before succeeding him in the role. The spirits used for the collection come from casks laid down by Goudy – including some from distilleries that have since closed – and have been blended by Hyslop.
The first release in the collection, named 'The Remembering', will mark Hyslop's 40th anniversary in the whisky industry in 2023. It features liquid from the now-closed Dumbarton Distillery, known for its use of traditional Coffey stills, which has been matured in American oak casks. Tasting notes from Ballantine's say the whisky has notes of red apple, clove, and toffee.
Hyslop said: "This is an incredibly special and poignant collection to work on, as I was taken back to my early days spent in the warehouse with Jack. The fact that Jack nosed these whiskies holds special significance, and this first chapter is a tribute to the distinctive character of Ballantine’s and the guidance and inspiration on which I’ve built my own skills. The lessons I learnt from Jack are repeated to my own team now, and they’ll be continued to be passed on in years to come.”
‘The Remembering’ is presented in individually numbered bottles, decorated by hand and infilled with gold, which are housed in presentation boxes dressed in 3D paper art by Scottish artist Kyla McCallum. It will also be the first Ballantine's NFT release, in partnership with blockchain-backed wine and spirits marketplace BlockBar.
Ballantine's 40 Years Old Masterclass Collection: 'The Remembering' launches in late April 2023. Only 108 bottles are being made available, including 27 being released into the global travel retail channel. Expressions in the Masterclass Collection will be released regularly with the final instalment due in 2027 to coincide with Ballantine's' 200th anniversary.
A close-up of the closure on "The Remembering"
