Launched earlier this month, ‘The Edge of Burnhead Wood 19-Year-Old’ is the newest release from The Balvenie. Joining ‘The Sweet Toast of American Oak’, ‘A Week of Peat’ and ‘A Day of Dark Barley’, the new expression is the fourth addition to The Balvenie Stories collection, first launched by the distillery in May 2019. A collection of single malt whiskies, The Balvenie Stories range of whiskies are specifically designed to represent “tales of character, endeavour and generational knowledge gathered at The Balvenie Distillery in Dufftown, Scotland.”

Inspired by the heather-cloaked highlands surrounding the distillery, The Edge of Burnhead Wood 19-Year-Old is an ultra-premium Scotch whisky celebrating the pastoral tale of how The Balvenie craftsmen experimented with the distillery’s natural resources to find the perfect match between fresh heather and barley. To this day, The Balvenie is the only Scotch whisky distillery that still grows its own barley, uses traditional floor maltings, and keeps both coppersmiths and coppers on site. Fittingly, this new expression is the first to be produced entirely from ingredients grown on the distillery’s Dufftown estate.

Commenting on the release of The Edge of Burnhead Wood, The Balvenie Malt Master David C. Stewart MBE said: “Stories are the lifeblood of The Balvenie Distillery and are deeply embedded in all the work that we do. The story behind The Edge of Burnhead Wood captures the majestic Speyside landscape and the inventive essence of The Balvenie’s loyal and determined craftspeople. In this way, The Edge of Burnhead Wood sums up the spirit of the work carried out at The Balvenie Distillery; The Balvenie remains true to the techniques and stories passed down by its craftsmen from generation to generation, while also looking forward by exploring new techniques, flavours and marriages to develop unique and original Balvenie expressions.”

Made from locally sourced ingredients found in the distillery grounds, The Edge of Burnhead Wood is made using home-grown barley malted at The Balvenie Maltings, water from the Convel hills, and fresh heather from Burnhead Wood. Once produced, the whisky is bottled at 48.7 percent ABV and labelled with a bespoke illustration from British artist and printmaker, Andy Lovell. Each bottle is also embellished with a QR code which links to a specially recorded podcast series featuring the craftsmen behind the expression, as well as The Balvenie Global Ambassador Gemma Paterson and Malt Master David C. Stewart.

On the nose, lively aromas of fig, geranium, and herbal undertones are present. On the palate, the whisky is delicate, fruity and lightly spicy, with savours of clove, dates, honey, citrus rind and an oaky dryness which lingers on the smooth finish with a whisper of dried blossom. An exceptionally special, well-balanced single malt from The distillery’s The Balvenie Stories collection.

The Balvenie The Edge of Burnhead Wood 19-Year-Old is available from stockists including The Whisky Shop, The Whisky Exchange, Master of Malt, and Grapevines, RRP £260, 70cl. Further information can be found here.