The Balvenie : 18 Year Old French Pineau Cask Curious Cask Collection

Characteristics and tasting advice for The Balvenie's 18 Years French Pineau Cask Curious Cask Collection

Tasting

Nose
A vibrant bouquet combining amber and toasted notes with savory spicy fragrances, caramel, and ripe berries.

Palate
Rich and balanced, the palate combines spicy, vanilla, muscovado sugar, and wood flavors to a lingering and aromatic finish.

Pairings and tasting moments

This single malt is ideally enjoyed as a digestif, in a tulip glass at room temperature. To enhance its tasting, pair it with mature cheeses such as comté, a blue cheese, or aged cheddar. For desserts, it pairs perfectly with a Tatin tart, a pear poached in red wine, or a square of 70% dark chocolate. It is also the ideal companion for a contemplative moment or a light cigar.

A single malt whisky enhanced by the elegance of Pineau des Charentes casks

The Balvenie, the artisanal excellence of Speyside

Founded in 1892 by William Grant in the Scottish region of Speyside, The Balvenie embodies the excellence of traditional Scottish whisky. A family-owned property of William Grant & Sons since its inception, this distillery stands out for its commitment to ancestral methods, including on-site malting and its own cooperage. Under the direction of David C. Stewart, Malt Master since 1974, and Kelsey McKechnie since 2023, The Balvenie has built a reputation for controlled innovation, notably with its pioneering two-cask aging technique for the DoubleWood. The distillery is also recognized for its prestigious limited editions, including the legendary 50-year-old, reflecting its exceptional status in the world of Scottish whisky.

A limited edition born from the creative exploration of casks

In 2015, after a workshop in Cognac, Damien Anglada (brand ambassador France) sends a bottle of pineau to former master distiller David Stewart. Charmed, he tests pineau casks, resulting in 2022 in the French Oak 16 years, then the French Pineau 18 years.

The Balvenie 18 Years French Pineau Cask is part of the Curious Casks collection, a series that celebrates the creative exploration of rare and unusual casks. This limited edition represents the culmination of an experimental project carried out over eight years by two generations of master distillers. David Stewart, a veteran of the distillery, and Kelsey McKechnie, his protégé, carefully selected 18-year-old whiskies, some of which benefited from a finish in casks that had contained Pineau des Charentes, an iconic French liqueur wine from the Cognac region.

This particular maturation gives this whisky a unique aromatic signature, where the fruity and honeyed notes characteristic of The Balvenie harmoniously blend with the winey and gently spicy flavors brought by the Pineau casks. Bottled at 47.9% alcohol and non-chill filtered to preserve all its aromas, this single malt perfectly embodies the philosophy of innovation respectful of tradition that makes The Balvenie renowned worldwide.