Balvenie 30 Years Old 2004 Release in wooden box with 2 x 30ml miniatures in box

Balvenie 30 Years Old 2004 Release in wooden box with 2 x 30ml miniatures in box

$2,255 AUD

47.3% ABV  70 cl

Another rare gem from Balvenie. It comes with the unusual combination of two miniatures to try before deciding to open the big bottle or to hang onto it and watch it grow in value. Signed by David Stewart, Malt Master at Balvenie for – you guessed it – 30 years!

This product is located in Australia.

Distillery

Balvenie Distillery

Originally seen as the little brother of Glenfiddich, the pioneer of widespread marketing of single malt whiskies, Balvenie gradually came into its own and now has a clearly defined position in the world of rare malt whiskies. Whilst it shares the same site as Glenfiddich – and Kininvie – it has a character all of its own.

What surprises many is that Balvenie was constructed (in 1892/3) only 5 years after Glenfiddich had started production. It started life as Glen Gordon but soon took its name from nearby but abandoned Balvenie Castle. Its main function was to provide bulk for the William Grant blends, but its quality as a single malt eventually emerged with the first-ever Balvenie bottling in 1971. As I noted at the time of my visit in 1986, it was “…. particularly palatable in the form of the Founder’s Reserve and the rare Balvenie Classic”. Some say that the fact that Balvenie still does some of its own malting, but to meet only about 15% of the total mash requirement, through the traditional floor method, contributes significantly to Balvenie’s distinctiveness.

The range of Balvenie expressions is now quite extensive and a collector/investor market has developed as a consequence.