Since the dawn of Spirit business, it has been Scotland that has solely been in the business of producing some of the finest Whiskies in the world, and their authenticity continues today, the Balvenie Tun 1509 series is the finest example of it. The Tun 1509 series features certain very unique and fine range whiskies which are distilled for several months in different casks married together in the distillery’s Tun 1509, housed in Warehouse 24. Every edition of the series is released annually, and the final edition of the series: The Balvenie Tun 1509 Batch 8 has been recently announced to be released in the States, an exclusive expression continuing the legacy of the highly collectible Tun ranges (including both the Tun 1401 and Batches 1-7 of Tun 1509). The Tun 1509 series was initially launched in 2014 to replace their popular Tun 1401 range, which usually used a smaller marrying tank. Batch 8 of Tun 1509, has been designed typically to exemplify the stock management skill of The Balvenie’s malt master, David Stewart.
The Tun 1509 Batch 8 encapsulates the ideal craftsmanship of The Balvenie, as it features 18 of the finest and rarest casks from the distillery, each expertly hand-selected by David Stewart, and married together in the Tun – a large oak marrying vessel that sits proudly in Warehouse 24. The very process of knitting together liquids from a range of casks is a careful and complex art, but the rare technique of marrying the liquids in Tun 1509 provides the optimum environment for the whisky’s composite qualities to mix. The resulting expression is a non-chill filtered whisky, left to marry for around three months, portraying an exemplary quality and unique character, greater than the sum of its constituent parts.
Through Stewart’s unparalleled expertise in single malt maturation, the result is a remarkably rich whisky, intense in flavor because of its long maturation in ex-bourbon barrels, and the second is filled in sherry butts, refill puncheons, and new sherry butts. On the nose, there are sweet flavors of baked citrus tarts intertwined with aromas of orange marmalade and maple syrup. To taste, an unmistakable texture flows over the palate, offering a blend of rich toffee sweetness, buttery vanilla, and a swirl of honey to form the perfect sip. The initial sweetness from perfectly toasted oak, dispersed to reveal layers of candied ginger, a hint of cardamom & ground aromatic spices to create a remarkable drinking experience at 52.2% abv, is indeed a sensational last hurrah.
“The Tun 1509 series draws to its completion with Batch 8. This Batch is a remarkable marriage of casks which result in a deep and rich Balvenie. To taste we have a rich toffee sweetness, buttery vanilla, and a swirl of the house honey style – layering to candied ginger and aromatic spices. Each bottle of Tun 1509 Batch 8, the brand noted, comes with in-depth detail on the whisky, with a breakdown chart and visual representations of the flavor profile of each constituent cask and the overall character of the resulting single malt. Tun 1509 Batch 8 is available in limited quantities now for $410.”
By David C. Stewart MBE
The Balvenie is an extraordinary range of single malts created by David C. Stewart MBE, The Balvenie Malt Master, who celebrated his 50th year at the distillery in 2012. Every individual spirit of Balvenie has a very unique taste – a rich, luxuriously smooth, and underpinned by the distinctively honeyed character of The Balvenie. The Balvenie is dedicated to the five rare crafts in the world that are used to create The Balvenie’s distinctive taste. It is the only distillery that still grows its barley and uses the traditional floor maltings which keep both the coppersmiths and the coopers on-site – making The Balvenie the most handcrafted of malts. The Balvenie Single Malt Scotch Whisky is produced by William Grant & Sons Ltd, an award-winning independent family-owned distiller founded by William Grant in 1886 and today run by his direct descendants.
The Balvenie core range includes The Balvenie DoubleWood 12 Year Old (SRP $64.99), The Balvenie 14-Year-Old Caribbean Cask (SRP $84.99), The Balvenie DoubleWood 17 Year Old (SRP $149.99), and The Balvenie PortWood 21 Year Old (SRP $299.99) in addition to a variety of limited release expressions. For further information, visit the official website.