Balvenie 16 Years Old French Oak 70cl 47.6°

Distillery : Balvenie (The) / Country : Scotland / Reference: : 25116

With this edition The Balvenie French Oak, the distillery embarks for the first time on the exploration of barrels from French vineyards and offers a rich and complex whisky with a finish in cask that previously contained Pineau des Charentes.

Pineau des Charentes is a fortified wine, made from unfermented grape juice, to which a Cognac eau-de-vie is added, which is then left to age. Pineau can also be found as an artisanal product in the neighbouring departments of Deux-Sèvres and Vendée.

We owe the birth of this new Balvenie to Lorne Cousin, brand ambassador in the United States. He suggested cellar master David C. Stewart explore these casks after a trip to the region with his family, where he emotionally remembered discovering this apéritif.

Pineau is similar to Cognac in terms of production and flavour.

A Single Malt made in two stages:

1ʳᵉ stage: years of maturation in American oak barrels which bring an abundance of vanilla, spices and warm notes of holly.

2ᵉ stage: the finish in barrels of Pineau des Charentes creates notes of grapefruit, geranium, candied fruit and ginger.

185,00 € tax incl.

soit 264,29 € / litre

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Features
Volume0.7 L
ABV47.6°
TypeSingle malt
DistilleryBalvenie (The)
CountryScotland
RegionSpeyside
Age16 years
MaturationBourbon
PeatNon Peated
CharacteristicsNon Chill-Filtered
Reference:25116

The Balvenie is a small distillery nestled in the Scottish Highlands, at the heart of the land of whisky: Speyside.


The Balvenie is a real museum, as nothing changed much since its establishment in 1892. Its name derives from the Balvenie castle (13th century), located a few hundred yards away. Since 1892, it has been family-owned and family-run. This independence allows the distillery to focus exclusively on the production of traditional craft Single Malts. The name “Balvenie” is a mystery in itself. If “Bal” means house or farm in Gaelic, the meaning of “Venie” has been lost. The Balvenie is proud to be one of the last four distilleries of the Highlands to use a traditional malting area. Four maltmen turn the malt three times a day, seven days a week, to even out the germination. The nine stills are placed under the close surveillance of a skilled blacksmith. In order to keep all of the character of The Balvenie Single Malts, the stills in used today are the exact replica of the originals. Until today, the oak casks are crafted by coopers, continuing the traditions and maintaining the skills alive as an heritage of ancient craftsmanship.

Nose: beautifully balanced, light floral notes of lotus flowers and geranium combine with hints of fresh meadow grass and peeled apple skin.

Palate: the energizing zest of lemon peel and grapefruit meets the subtle and delicate sweetness of candied fruit and the spices of ginger root.

Finish: refreshing and concise.

89 points, Bronze Medal in the Unpeated Single Malt Scotch Whisky category, International Wine & Spirit Competition 2023.