Skip to main content

Ballantine’s is launching an epic 40-year-old blended whisky

Every whisky included in this blend matured for at least forty years

Ballantine’s
Ballantine’s

After launching its first single grain whisky last month, Chivas Brothers-owned Scotch whisky brand Ballantine’s is announcing a truly epic new whisky. It’s the second expression in its Masterclass Collection, and it’s called Chapter Two, “The Waiting.”

Ballantine’s 40-Year-Old Masterclass Collection: ‘The Waiting’

Ballantine’s
Ballantine’s

The whisky’s full name is Ballantine’s 40-Year-Old Masterclass Collection: ‘The Waiting,’. With a name like that, you probably understand why its nickname is ‘The Waiting.’ Drinkers had to wait four decades to try this unique expression. Like Chivas Brothers’ whiskies, this is a blended whisky with each expression included at least forty years old.

Recommended Videos

According to the brand, the result is a complex, memorable whisky that begins with a nose of apricots, caramelized figs, Seville oranges, charred pineapple, cinnamon, ginger, and nutty oak. Sipping it reveals hints of red apples, black currant jam, dark cherries, toffee, dark chocolate, and clove. The finish is dry, warming, and pleasantly balanced.

“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 (former master blender Jack Goudy),” Sandy Hyslop, Master Blender at Ballantine’s said on the brand’s website.

“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 art of whisky crafting is fascinating, with many rules written long ago. The lessons I learned from Jack are repeated to my own team now, and they’ll be continued to be passed on in years to come.”

Where can I buy it?

Scotch
Dylan de Jonge/Unsplash

If we haven’t mentioned it already, an expression as unique as this is extremely limited. Ballantine’s is only releasing 108 bottles globally for the suggested retail price of $13,000.

Christopher Osburn
Christopher Osburn is a food and drinks writer located in the Finger Lakes Region of New York. He's been writing professional
Johnnie Walker Aged 52 Years is one of the rarest whiskies the brand has ever released
Johnnie Walker Aged 52 is one of the oldest whiskies ever produced by the brand
Johnnie Walker

Johnnie Walker is the biggest name in blended Scotch whisky. The brand is well-known for its wide range of expressions, from Johnnie Walker Red to Johnnie Walker Blue and every limited-edition expression in between. This iconic brand is beloved by whisky drinkers all over the globe, so it should come as no surprise that it is launching a one-of-a-kind blended whisky.
Johnnie Walker Aged 52 Years

Its newest release isn’t named for a colored label like many of its popular expressions. Instead, it’s called Johnnie Walker Aged 52 Years, and it’s one of the oldest and rarest whiskies the brand has ever released. Only 200 bottles of this limited-edition expression are being made available. It features a marriage of Highland single malt and Lowland single grain whiskies from six rare malt whiskies and two grain whiskies from well-known distilleries. Whiskies included come from Cambus, Carsebridge, Glenury Royal, Glenlochy, Dalwhinnie, and more.

Read more
Elijah Craig is launching a “Craig Nog” kit just in time for the holidays
Elijah Craig is launching a limited-edition eggnog kit
Elijah Craig

Few beverages are more entrenched in the holiday season than eggnog. This seasonal classic is made with milk, egg yolks, sugar, cream, and whipped egg whites. It’s creamy and often gently spiced with nutmeg or other spices. If that’s not enough, many people enjoy elevating it by adding whiskey.

And while you can go to your local grocery store and grab a carton of eggnog and add some of your favorite bourbon, it’s boring. Luckily, the folks at Elijah Craig have a seasonal cocktail kit perfect for fans of the boozy holiday treat looking for an update on the classic drink.
Elijah Craig “Craig Nog”

Read more
The Block Distilling is celebrating its anniversary by releasing a six-year-old whiskey
The Block Distilling is releasing a new anniversary whiskey
Whiskey in a glass

Denver’s The Block Distilling was founded in 2017. To celebrate its seventh anniversary (on Repeal Day), the popular distillery is releasing its oldest whiskey to date: a six-year-old straight whiskey made in collaboration with the Denver Whiskey Club.
Block Distilling Six Year Straight Whiskey

This year’s anniversary release is a bottle-in-bond whiskey that began with a mash bill of 41% Troubadour Maltings Serenade Malted Barley, 13% Root Shoot Malting Metcalfe Malted Barley, 20% Colorado Malting Company Malted Rye, and 25% Whiskey Sister Supply Oats. If you didn’t guess it already, it’s made from 100% Colorado-sourced grains. It was distilled on a four-late column still and matured for thirty-six months in char three, toasted head American white oak barrels.

Read more