Balvenie reveals second Fifty Collection edition
William Grant & Sons-owned single malt The Balvenie has unveiled the second edition in its three-part series, The Fifty Collection.
The Fifty Collection made its debut at Harrods in August last year, followed by a global launch in September. Utilising the whisky from the collection's inaugural release, the second edition in the series, crafted by Balvenie's malt master Kelsey McKechnie, features a blend of whiskies from two casks: a single European oak refill butt, which was also used for the first edition, and an American oak hogshead, both of which were filled in 1973. Offered at 49.8% ABV, the new release displays aromas of sticky toffee, violet, rose, oak, and subtle spice, followed on the palate by notes of molten dates, sweet currants, citrus zest, creamy honey, and a buttery finish. McKechnie said: “The Balvenie Fifty Collection pays tribute to the makers, craftspeople and custodians who have watched over our liquid for the past five decades. It’s a privilege to select the casks which make up this celebration of our legacy, and I am thrilled that we can finally share this special dram. Marrying together rare casks to create something extraordinary is a fitting testament to the stories that precede each cask. "For The Second Edition, we selected an American oak hogshead filled in 1973 to build on the legacy of the inaugural release. The time spent maturing in American oak has nurtured a beautifully balanced character, with notes of sweet honey and warming oak. This profile was chosen to complement the European oak influence of The First Edition, creating a marriage of casks that brings both contrast and continuity to the flavour thread running through the trilogy. "The collection reflects our respect for tradition and our commitment to looking to the future by preserving the rare crafts of whisky making from barley to bottle,” McKechnie explained. The Fifty Collection features packaging designed by Croglin, a craft workshop located in Cumbria, UK. Each presentation box includes more than 100 different elements, featuring seven layers of wood in a helix structure that is less than one-tenth of a millimetre thick, along with a crafted 14-carat gold-plated brass display. In contrast to the inaugural release, The Second Edition showcases a darker wood stain applied to the grain, and each hand-blown bottle is individually numbered. With only 97 bottles available globally, The Balvenie Fifty Collection Second Edition is now exclusively sold at Harrods for £42,500 (US$57,560), with a global launch to follow. The Third Edition, completing the trilogy, will launch in 2026 and features a 1974 American oak barrel.
