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Peter Marshall Send an email July 11, 2022
3 minutes read

The Balvenie’s ‘Week of Peat’ Hits Global Travel Retail With A New Taste Of Elegance

The Stories Range of whiskies chronicles tales of true character which are crafted into exciting single malts that celebrate human stories of endeavour and unexpected twists as told by The Balvenie distillery’s master craftsmen in Dufftown, Scotland.
Its latest addition – The Balvenie Week of Peat  Aged 19 Years – is no exception.
Available exclusively to global travel retail, The Week of Peat Aged 19 Years is a 19-year-old take on the delicately smoky Limited Edition, adding a footnote of sweet and warming spices to its honeyed flavour.
The Week of Peat Aged 19 Years is exceedingly rich, luxuriously smooth, flaunting notes of fresh citrus, of creamy vanilla and underpinned by a distinctive oak and Balvenie’s signature, honeyed character.
The legendary Highlander, Ian Millar, who served as The Balvenie’s Distillery Manager, originally inspired The Week of Peat. Always craving experimentation with The Balvenie profile, and using what he had learnt from a trip to Islay, Millar discovered a week’s gap in the distillery schedule and rushed off to the kiln with a batch of Speyside peat. Today, and uniquely, the distillery creates peated whisky using Speyside peat for only one week every year.

Ian Millar, originator of The Week of Peat

The Week of Peat’s unique and delicate smoky flavour is delivered by smoke from a heavily peated furnace

The Week of Peat Aged 19 Years is the latest smoky addition that has been matured in three different types of casks and created by Kelsey McKechnie, Apprentice to The Balvenie Malt Master, David C. Stewart MBE. Kelsey has honed her craft under his supervision and guidance. Born and raised in Scotland – just 10 miles away from William Grant & Sons’ Girvan Distillery – Kelsey was announced as apprentice Malt Master in 2019.
After graduating from The University of West Scotland in 2014 with a BSc in Biology and Biological Sciences, she progressed to study an MSc in Brewing and Distilling at Heriot-Watt University. While she was still there, Kelsey joined the team at William Grant & Sons as a Technical Graduate and Whisky Technologist, studying the art and science of spirits and whisky making.

Master and Apprentice: The Balvenie Malt Master, David C. Stewart MBE together with Apprentice Malt Master, Kelsey Mckechnie

Referring to the release of The Balvenie Week of Peat Aged 19 Years, Kelsey said: ”For a week, The Balvenie distills a batch of peated malt celebrating the traditional whisky making of the past. This adds an extra layer of peated intensity to our signature honeyed character. (The Balvenie Week of Peat Aged 19 Years) has matured just a little longer in three separate types of casks resulting in a single malt rich in honey, vanilla and citrus notes with an extra layer of delicate smokiness.”
The new member of The Week of Peat family is exclusively available in GTR locations including Australasia, Eastern Europe and The Levant, Greater China, Hong Kong, Japan, Korea, South East Asia, Southern and Western Europe and the USA.
Tasting Notes: The Balvenie Week of Peat, 19-yo
* Nose: a malty sweetness on the nose, complemented by beautifully toasted oak and rich smoke. Vanilla toffee gives way to a cinnamon spiciness.
* Taste: Rich and earthy smoke reveals syrupy sweetness, fresh citrus, creamy  vanilla and honey, ending with a cinnamon and ginger spice
* Finish: Delicate smoke with a lingering and spicy sweetness
Cask Types:
Refill Cask: Allows the spirit to mellow over time and the true distillery style to come through
First Fill Bourbon Cask: Adds round toffee sweetness and hints of vanilla and oak
Sherry Cask: Creates notes of beautiful spice and dried fruits, balanced tart tannins and oak
William Grant & Sons was founded in the UK by William Grant in 1887 as an independent, family-owned distiller. Today, the family’s 5th Generation runs a global premium spirits company that distills some of the world’s finest Scotch whiskies.

 

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Peter Marshall Send an email July 11, 2022
3 minutes read

Peter Marshall

Founder: trunblocked.com/Marshall Arts
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