For the first time in 10 Years, The Balvenie Single Malt Scotch Whisky has unveiled a new expression within its Cask Finishes Range.
The Balvenie French Oak 16-Year-Old finished in casks that previously held Pineau wine from the French Charentes vineyards.
Inspired by William Grant & Sons U.S. Ambassador Lorne Cousin’s travels through wine-making regions of France, this new expression explores the use of Pineau French Oak casks for the first time in the distillery’s 130-year history. Pineau des Charentes, or simply Pineau, is a fortified wine made from unfermented grape juice, to which Cognac eau-de-vie is added and then matured.
The result is a rich flavor profile, marked by the taste of tangy lemon rind and grapefruit in combination with the subtle sweetness of glazed fruits and root ginger spice, the company reports.
The French Oak 16-Year-Old joins DoubleWood 12-Year-Old, Caribbean Cask 14-Year-Old and Portwood 21-Year-Old as part of The Balvenie’s Cask Finishes Range.
“As part of our continued journey of exploration and innovation, we found that French wine casks offer a light, fresh finish we had not previously leveraged,” says Malt Master David C. Stewart MBE. “Pineau des Charentes’ vibrant and distinct flavors, extracted from our signature double maturation process, not only bring greater depth to our range but deliver an element of luxury and craft that is unmistakably The Balvenie.”
Each expression within the Cask Finishes Range uses cask finishing, a technique pioneered Stewart in 1983. The French Oak 16-Year-Old is the latest permanent addition to the range since the introduction of the Caribbean Cask 14-Year-Old in 2013.
“Our French Oak’s 16-year maturation in traditional American oak barrels develops its distinct taste of rich honey, with a finishing period in Pineau French Oak casks then delivering a velvety sweetness with notes of candied grapefruit, geranium and ginger,” says Naomi Leslie, U.S. Ambassador of The Balvenie.
The Balvenie French Oak, 47.6% ABV, is now available across the U.S. at a suggested retail price of $174.99 per 750-ml. bottle.
The Balvenie Scotch Whisky is imported by William Grant & Sons.
