The Balvenie’s 60-Year-Old Single Malt Scotch Ushers In a New Era
But even at $145,000 a bottle, you’ll have to race to buy one.
A dram of the Balvenie Sixty.
Source: The Balvenie
The landscape of Speyside in the Scottish Highlands is a patchwork of green; rolling but rugged, each morning it seems to shimmer slightly in the mist. It’s here that the copper stills of the Balvenie distillery have been running for more than 130 years. And for almost half that time, David Stewart has been their steward.
The longest-tenured malt master in Scotch whisky history, the now 78-year-old Stewart is equal parts scientist, chef and ambassador for the brand. A malt master tends the casks, raising them to maturity before deciding which to blend into an exceptional single malt; once an expression is released, it’s up to the malt master to evangelize and explain that new product. Now Stewart is preparing to pass the torch, and there’s a $145,000 bottle to mark the occasion.