Ballantine's launches 40-Year-Old Masterclass Collection
The first release in the 40-Year-Old Masterclass Collection is named ‘The Remembering'
Scotch whisky brand Ballantine’s has unveiled its new 40-Year-Old Masterclass Collection: an ultra-limited series of five annual releases and exceptional expressions of Ballantine’s 40-Year-Old whisky.
"Serving as a tribute to past and present Ballantine’s Master Blenders, the collection celebrates the five essential skills that Jack Goudy, Master Blender between 1959 and 1994, passed on to his then apprentice and now world-renowned Master Blender Sandy Hyslop," explains the company. "Every drop in the expressions which form the Masterclass Collection, will come from casks laid down by Jack Goudy, including rare whiskies from now ghost distilleries, and expertly blended by Sandy Hyslop."
The first release in the collection, launched this year to mark Hyslop’s 40th anniversary in the industry, is named ‘The Remembering.'
"The blend, bottled at natural strength after a 40-year maturation in oak casks, is both complex and harmonious, with a carefully crafted influence from whisky of now closed Dumbarton Distillery, where Sandy Hyslop first learned from Jack Goudy in his journey to becoming a Master Blender. The distillery was also where traditional Coffey stills were used, resulting in a creamy smooth character enriched with an opulent sweetness from being matured in the finest American Oak casks. ‘The Remembering’ is a perfectly balanced whisky, rich and complex, and bursting with flavors of spiced red apple and notes of warming clove spice and lavish toffee."
Commenting on the first release from the Masterclass Collection, Hyslop said, “This is an incredibly special and poignant collection to work on, as I was taken back to my early days spent in the warehouse with Jack. The fact that Jack nosed these whiskies holds special significance, and this first chapter is a tribute to the distinctive character of Ballantine’s and the guidance and inspiration on which I’ve built my own skills. The lessons I learnt from Jack are repeated to my own team now, and they’ll be continued to be passed on in years to come.”
Liya Zhang, Vice President of Marketing at Pernod Ricard Global Travel Retail commented, “We’re very proud to unveil the new Ballantine’s 40-Year-Old Masterclass Collection in travel retail. Deeply rooted in heritage and commitment to outstanding quality, we’re confident these new ultra-limited releases will delight travelers and whisky enthusiasts, looking for the perfect liquids for collecting and gifting.”
Ballantine’s 40-Year-Old Masterclass Collection: ‘The Remembering’ is presented in individually numbered bottles, with a design reflecting the exceptional rarity of this 40-Year- Old blend, decorated by hand and infilled with gold. The bottle is housed inside an elegant presentation box, dressed in a delicate 3D paper art piece, created exclusively for the Masterclass Collection by celebrated Scottish artist Kyla McCallum.
Only 27 of the 108 bottles of ‘The Remembering’ will be available in GTR from April 2023. The fifth and closing chapter of the collection will be released in 2027 to mark the brand's 200th anniversary.
