The Balvenie’s 50-Year-Old Whisky Lands In India

Some bottles aren’t simply opened, they’re unveiled. Last week, The Balvenie introduced a single bottle of the Balvenie Fifty–First Edition to India, drawn from a cask filled in 1973 and matured for half a century.

On the nose, expect ripe berries, layered tannins, and the subtle depth of aged leather. The palate is rich and rounded, with toffee sweetness unfolding into bright citrus notes before settling into a lingering oak spice. Selected by Malt Master Kelsey McKechnie, it is a liquid narrative of five decades’ worth of craft. Only one bottle will be available in the country, exclusively through G Town Wines in Gurugram, priced between ₹60–75 lakh.

The presentation is no less considered. Designed by Cumbrian atelier Croglin, the display is a feat of artisanal precision, featuring over 100 hand-assembled components, each layer of wood less than a tenth of a millimetre thick, spiralling into a helix structure and anchored by a 14-carat gold-plated brass frame. It is, in every sense, a collector’s object.

The debut arrives alongside two equally distinguished releases from The Balvenie’s Rare Marriages Collection– a series dedicated to the art of bringing together exceptional casks.

The Balvenie Thirty, described by Malt Master David C. Stewart MBE as the distillery’s sweetest and most honeyed expression, marries traditional American and European oak casks that have matured for decades. Silky and layered, it offers notes of rich honey, mellow oak, and candied orange peel. Its cylindrical case is crafted from soft goat leather, with a gradual debossed ring motif that echoes the slow unfurling of flavour during maturation, finished with white gold foil.

The Balvenie Twenty-Five is a more architectural composition, an intricate marriage of European and American oak casks, yielding bold vanilla oak, crystallised ginger, and runny honey. Its deep burgundy case fades to a lighter ombré, symbolising the gradual evolution of flavour over its years of maturation, with delicate rings of white gold foil marking each year.

For The Balvenie, the Indian launch is both symbolic and strategic. “India is home to an increasingly discerning community of collectors and whisky connoisseurs who value authenticity, legacy, and craftsmanship,” says Sachin Mehta, Managing Director of William Grant & Sons, India. “Bringing the Balvenie Fifty here marks a significant step in our long-term commitment to offering Indian consumers access to the very best of our global portfolio.”

Global Brand Ambassador Charles Metcalfe adds, “The Balvenie Fifty, making its debut in India, is a moment of immense pride, a singular expression that captures five decades of unwavering commitment to craftsmanship. To unveil this rare bottle alongside The Balvenie Twenty-Five and Thirty further deepens our story here.”

Three whiskies, each a masterclass in time, material, and meticulous blending – together marking an important chapter in India’s growing culture of fine spirits.

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