The Balvenie unveils new whisky in Stories range

The Balvenie has annonced the latest release in its Stories range of limited-edition whiskies.

'A Rare Discovery from Distant Shores' is a 27-year-old whisky which spent the final seven years of its maturation finishing in ex-Caroni rum casks.

The Balvenie will release the new whisky on 1 July and, due to its limited stock, it will only be available for two years. 

The Balvenie Stories collection is designed to bring to life the stories of the places where the whisky is made, while celebrating the creativity of its makers.

Previous releases in the range include the 12 Years Old 'The Sweet Toast of American Oak', 19 Years Old 'The Edge of Burnhead Wood', and 42 Years Old 'The Tale of the Dog'.

'A Rare Discovery from Distant Shores' is inspired by the story of John Barrett, a friend of The Balvenie's malt master David Stewart, who brough some samples of Caroni rum to the distillery and provided creative inspiration to its Whisky Stocks team.

David Stewart said: "Caroni has become a kind of cult spirit, followed by rum fanatics all over the world. It's rare, it's fascinating, all because the distillery is no more, having shut its doors 20 years ago. Caroni is totally unique: a heavy rum, bold, characterful and full of potential to create a really special Balvenie."

The Caroni casks used to finish 'A Rare Discovery from Distant Shores' had aged their Caribbean spirit for 10 years in Trinidad before being brought to Scotland and stored in Dufftown, then filled with 20-year-old Balvenie whisky.

The packaging for the new release features a bespoke illustration by British artist Andy Lovell - who has created designs for other expressions in the Stories range - which depicts David Stewart in his sample room.

The Balvenie 'A Rare Discovery from Distand Shores' is available from Hard to Find Whisky, Whisky Shop, House of Malt and Royal Mile Whiskies with a recommended price of £1,120.

7 July 2022 - Bethany Whymark