This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful.
News
Ballantine’s releases rare 40-year-old Whisky ‘The Waiting’
Ballantine’s releases the second instalment of its Masterclass Collection, crafted from casks laid down over four decades ago and limited to just 108 bottles globally.
Ballantine’s has introduced ‘Chapter Two: The Waiting’ to its Masterclass Collection, a series of 40-year-old whiskies designed to highlight the traditions of its Master Blenders.
The limited release features a blend of whiskies selected from casks laid down in the 1980s by former Master Blender Jack Goudy, crafted under the direction of current master blender Sandy Hyslop.
This 40-year-old Scotch is bottled at cask strength (45.4% ABV) and is said to reflect Ballantine’s depth and complexity. According to the brand, the influence of American Oak casks is prominent, delivering a balance of sweetness with a subtle hint of smoke.
Hyslop, who has been with Ballantine’s for over four decades, described the process of creating the blend as a meticulous one:
“Time brings distinction to a whisky, but it also brings huge responsibility. You need a combination of patience, passion, and dedication to meticulously monitor and nose hundreds of samples a day to pinpoint the exact moment that a flavour profile has reached its maximum potential. It has to be exactly right because there’s no turning back the clock.”
Only 108 bottles of The Waiting have been produced, with an RRP of US$12,000 each. Ballantine’s acknowledged that such a high price tag and limited availability appeals to a niche audience, telling db: “This collection attracts a very particular consumer, with supply matching demand for an exquisite release at this price point. Naturally, the older a whisky, the rarer it becomes, and at a minimum of 40 years of age, the Ballantine’s 40 Year Old Masterclass Collection is no exception.”
No easy task
Releasing and maintaining the quality of a whisky aged over four decades is no small challenge. “Producing such a prestigious collection is challenging in that you have to maintain the cask quality over 40 years, ensuring the touch of Master Blenders before me are preserved. Exercising patience throughout the process is a crucial skill: time brings distinction and so it is recognised with great patience, can come great reward in flavour and taste experience,” Hyslop explains to db.
The Waiting follows the 2023 launch of Chapter One: The Legacy and is part of a planned five-part series. Chapters Three and Four are expected in 2025 and 2026, with the collection’s final release slated for 2027 to coincide with Ballantine’s 200th anniversary.
The release comes as the whisky world saw an upward trajectory of rare whiskies at the start of the year, with demand still popular despite prices 13% higher on average than in 2o23.
Presented in individually numbered bottles, the whisky comes in a bespoke display box featuring intricate 3D paper art created by Scottish artist Kyla McCallum and will be made available for purchase globally from December 2024 at specialist retailers.
Related news
US buyers takes the top spot in fine wine market
Restaurant Sat Bains: our £595 pairing menu is the 'best value for money'