Balvenie Classic 18 Year Old 1980s

Balvenie was built by William Grant in 1892 and remains part of his family's company to this day. In the early part of its history, its purpose was primarily for the provision of malt for Grant's blends, however following the global success of Glenfiddich, the Balvenie single malt brand was launched in 1973. It remained a rarity though, and it was not until the opening of Kininvie in 1990, and later Ailsa Bay in Girvan, that the distillery was given the freedom to focus on its single malt. Today it is one of the best recognised brands in the world. In 1993 they launched the 12 year old "DoubleWood," an expression credited with pioneering the use of cask-finishing, and this has become a key motif for the distillery's output in recent times.

This is an 18 year old iteration of the Balvenie Classic. Like the Founder's Reserve bottlings from the same era, these were produced using now iconic cognac-style bottles, and are increasingly collectible.

First released in 1983, the Classic was one of the world's first whiskies to have undergone a secondary maturation, or "finishing." In this case it was sherry wood. The expression was rebranded as the "DoubleWood" and switched to a 12 year old age statement in 1993.