The penultimate chapter in The Balvenie DCS Compendium: Chapter Four has been revealed.
The Balvenie single malt Scotch whisky has unveiled Expecting the Unexpected.
The collection comprises the most distinct and unusual vintages completely different to The Balvenie’s usual style, that would have otherwise never existed.
The exclusive collection brings to life the lasting mystery, magic and alchemy inherent in whisky maturation, highlighting how malt master David C Stewart MBE’s 56 years in the industry has mastered the art of nurturing the unexpected.
David said: ‘Despite spending many years studying the science and art of whisky maturation, there are still occasions when I find myself pleasantly surprised with the unexpected direction a liquid has taken.
‘The nature of whisky making is unpredictable and in the case of The Balvenie DCS Chapter Four, means a selection of remarkable and distinctly different liquids have been released that would otherwise never have seen the light of day.
‘Each of the five liquids in Chapter Four present highly unusual and unexpected characteristics that we wouldn’t have thought possible from the type of oak they matured in and the maturation time they’ve been given. It’s incredibly exciting.
‘Chapter Four gives us the opportunity to celebrate these twists and turns and allows us to release an extraordinary series of vintages, strides apart from our usual styles.’
The oldest chapter is the 1971 matured in refill European oak Oloroso sherry butts. Its high level of richness and spice led
David to initially think that a clerical error had been made and the liquid had in fact been matured in refill casks. Researching further, he found that no error had been made and the liquid’s unique profile was a pure and unexpected rarity.
Having matured in an uncommon European oak Oloroso sherry hogshead, the 1982 vintage took on interesting and completely unexpected notes of dark chocolate. This liquid represents a time when David started experimenting with maturing The Balvenie in two different wood types, what would later be called ‘cask finishing’.
The 1992 expression is a hallmark example of what The Balvenie was in the experimental days before the launch of The Balvenie DoubleWood. While showcasing ‘normal’ characteristics of liquid matured in Spanish oak, such as a rich sherried sweetness, this 26-year-old expression also features unexpected notes of toasted almonds.
The 1999 Refill American oak hogshead holds significant personal meaning for David as it was the year he celebrated 25 years as The Balvenie Malt Master. Its distinctiveness comes from experiments by The Balvenie’s coopers, which involved toasting the ends of the cask. The remarkable result is an unusual liquid showing vibrant coconut notes.
Perhaps the most unexpected vintage is the nine-year-old first-fill American oak bourbon barrel, which David considers one of his ‘biggest surprises’. Despite being clearly recorded as distilled outside of The Balvenie’s annual Peat Week, this 2009 liquid contains notes of distant smoke and peatiness. David’s hypothesis was that this sample is a ‘carry-forward’ – suggesting the peatiness picked up in the spirit was imparted from walls of the washbacks and pipework from earlier runs of Peat Week.
Each set is accompanied by The Balvenie DCS Compendium book, written by former Balvenie Global Ambassador Dr Samuel J. Simmons.
The book, individually signed by David, details each of the five DCS Compendium chapters and documents his personal thoughts in curating the compendium. Now in its second edition, the book also features rare imagery of The Balvenie distillery and its craftsmen. This chapter comes in a handcrafted European Ash and brass frame expertly produced by Scottish craftsman Sam Chinnery. Individual bottles from the set will also be available in a single European Ash presentation frame.
The release of Chapter Four follows the annual and highly successful release of Chapters One, Two and Three, titled Distillery Style, The Influence of Oak and Secrets of the Stock Model respectively. As a whole, The Balvenie DCS Compendium represents a celebration of David’s career, as the industry’s longest-serving Malt Master, and provides a liquid handover of his skill and knowledge to future generations of craftsmen at the distillery. The fifth and final chapter titled Malt Masters Indulgence will be released in 2019.
Expecting the Unexpected launches in November and will be available in Harrods, Hedonism, The Whisky Exchange, Master of Malt and The Whisky Shop for £29,000.
To learn more about The Balvenie and The Balvenie DCS Compendium, visit https://www.thebalvenie.com/our-range/dcs-compendium/ .
Author
TAGS
FOLLOW US
