The Balvenie has announced the release of The Edge of Burnhead Wood, the latest addition to the coveted Balvenie Stories range — a collection of single malt whiskies representing tales of character, endeavour and generational knowledge gathered at The Balvenie Distillery in Dufftown, Scotland. The expression joins six others in the Stories range, three domestic releases —The Sweet Toast of American Oak (aged 12 years), A Week of Peat (aged 14 years) and A Day of Dark Barley (aged 26 years). Each liquid in the range brings to life a distinct narrative of the human touch, skill, and emotion behind every liquid produced by The Balvenie.
Inspired by the fragrant, heather-cloaked highlands which surround The Balvenie Distillery, The Edge of Burnhead Wood celebrates 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. The expression, which is made from locally sourced ingredients found in the distillery grounds — home-grown barley malted at The Balvenie Maltings, water from the Robbie Dhu spring, and fresh heather from Burnhead Wood — retains the familiar robust Balvenie taste, with a delicate fruitiness, as well as notes of light spice and juicy fruits. A balanced honeyed sweetness and spicy outburst with hints of cloves and caramelised baked dates develops to reveal an underlying oaky dryness, whilst a lingering oaky finish features notes of fragrant dried blossom.
Ross Blainey, The Balvenie Brand Ambassador, says of the release, “It’s really exciting to have a new story on the shores of Australia, and The Edge of Burnhead Wood truly shows how our craftspeople are able to stay true to our traditions whilst continuing to innovate. We can use the lifetimes of experience, knowledge and stories of what came before to push the boundaries creating a completely unique whisky using traditions to innovate.”
Commenting on the release of The Edge of Burnhead Wood, The Balvenie Malt Master David Stewart MBE says: “Stories are are the lifeblood of The Balvenie Distillery 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.”
Drinkers can hear the story of The Edge of Burnhead Wood via 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. This podcast will be available through a QR code tag on the bottle, that drinkers can scan using their smartphones.
Storytelling is carried through every aspect of The Edge of Burnhead Wood, with its tale depicted on the whisky’s packaging in a bespoke illustration from British artist and printmaker Andy Lovell. Andy’s work, which draws its inspiration direct from the distillery, can also been seen across the labels for the entire Balvenie Stories range. It uses bold, hand-made gestural marks to build up images that capture the evocative light and atmosphere of the distillery’s landscape. The texture and tactility of Andy’s work emphasises the importance of the human hand in the production of The Balvenie whiskies and the spontaneity and life that comes from The Balvenie’s artisanal ways of working.
Contact William Grant & Sons to discuss stocking this product or any products from The Balvenie range.