Opening price: NOS 300,000. The most expensive whiskey ever in Israel

In November 2024, Israel will witness the sale of the most expensive whiskey bottle ever imported into the country. A 50-year-old Balvenie, one of only 125 bottles in the world, will be auctioned for 48 hours from November 19.

Opening price: NOS 300,000. Yes, three hundred thousand shekels. This is not a typo, and the number leaves little room for doubt about the accuracy of the headline. Even if you’re not in a hurry to open your wallet or call your banker, keep reading: This is an important event on multiple levels: global, local, industrial, historical, consumer and enthusiast.

Ultimately, the opportunity gave me the opportunity to taste some of Balvenie’s finest bottles, but not the 50 year old whiskey itself. Nevertheless, it was a harbinger of great things to come.

We are approaching a 50 year old whisky

As mentioned, this edition contains just 125 bottles from cask No. 8720, a second-fill Oloroso sherry cask that was filled in 1973 by Balvenie’s legendary malt master, David Stewart, during his final year of training.

This 50 year old whiskey was bottled at 52.3% ABV by Stewart’s successor, malt master Kelsey McKechnie. The bottle comes in a handcrafted wooden box, decorated with 14-karat gold accents, and retails for approximately $100,000 worldwide.

When approaching a 50 year old whisky, it is essential to look not only at when the whiskey was bottled, but also at all the times when it was not. Cask 8720, after the whiskey had previously matured, began a second round of maturation. Such barrels were generally intended for longer maturation due to the extended flavor extraction during the second filling. But no barrel was ever designed with a specific 50-year timeline in mind.

The barrels are sampled periodically by the malt master and are generally bottled at their peak, making the decision to age the barrels for longer than 12, 18, 20, 24, 30 or even 40 years is a testament to extensive experience and a calculated risk because of the potential risks. evaporation loss, or the ‘angel’s share’.

The author does not taste the 50 year old whiskey (credit: Mira Eitan)

A rare phenomenon

Bottling a barrel after 50 years takes quite a bit of courage. That courage came from McKechnie, a rising star in the whiskey world and one of the youngest malt masters ever. McKechnie joined the distillery as an apprentice in 2014, after studying brewing and distilling, and quickly proved herself to be a once-in-a-generation talent.

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The Balvenie 50 2024 is in many ways a collaboration between McKechnie and outgoing malt master Stewart. It also represents a symbolic passing of the torch to a new generation – a generation that brings creativity and innovation, coupled with deep respect for tradition. Two more releases will follow over the next two years, turning Balvenie 50 into a miniseries.

Winds of change

The arrival of this bottle in Israel is significant, especially considering the changes in the local alcohol industry a few months ago.

After years of distribution in Israel by Hakerem, William Grant & Sons, the parent company of Balvenie, Glenfiddich, Tullamore Dew, Ailsa Bay and Hendrick’s gin, signed a new distribution agreement with GWS.

At this stage, there have been no significant changes in Balvenie’s presence on store shelves in Israel, and it is still too early to predict the future. However, the arrival of this exclusive bottle is a statement of intent from GWS, which aims to bring the best that Balvenie has to offer.

I recently attended a tasting held by the company to celebrate the arrival of the Balvenie 50. Was I hoping to taste a few drops of the edition that costs as much per drop as an average daily salary in Israel? Of course, but that didn’t happen.

However, other fascinating tastings took place, providing a great story about where the distillery is and where it hopes to go.

Balvenie DoubleWood 12

The distillery’s classic edition, introduced in 1993, has since become a favorite among Scotch whiskey fans around the world, including in Israel. Matured for 12 years, mainly in ex-bourbon casks, followed by a long-lasting finish in Oloroso sherry casks.

On the nose: butter sweets, wine grapes and white pepper. The taste consists of candied cherries, roasted grains and a grassy bitterness that ends with an aftertaste of cocoa powder, orange peel and a touch of dry oak: elegant, balanced and pleasant.

Balvenie DoubleWood 12 (credit: PR)

Balvenie Caribbean Cask 14

Another popular release among local whiskey enthusiasts. Matured for at least 14 years in ex-bourbon barrels, followed by a finish in rum barrels specially made for Balvenie.

The nose reveals mocha and molasses, spiced with cloves. In the mouth: orange melon, chamomile and salty almonds. The finish is rich with vanilla, reminiscent of a vanilla pod and nutmeg spice – a classic in rum cask finishing and perhaps even more.

Balvenie Caribbean Cask 14 (credit: PR)

The plot thickens

From here things became more complex. It was a blind tasting, including the first two editions, which I identified based on familiarity and a bit of guessing. In addition, the editions presented were editions that had never reached Israel and were very limited even in other markets, so my senses guided me completely.

The next whiskey poured was noticeably paler and the nose left a powerful impression. This turned out to be Balvenie Single Barrel 12, a single-fill ex-bourbon barrel, indicating that the bourbon inside had previously been matured extensively, leaving an exceptional flavor profile.

On the nose: a bouquet of daffodils, coconut milk and unripe nectarine. The taste brings sweet cream, fresh dough and thyme, with a sweet-salty aftertaste of crème patissière and iodized salt. One of the nicest glasses I’ve had lately.

Balvenie Single Barrel 12 (credit: PR)

A barrel with character

This was followed by the Balvenie Cask & Character 19, an edition made under McKechnie’s guidance as malt master, sharing the honors with Ian McDonald, Balvenie’s veteran cooper with more than 50 years’ experience.

This expression matures for 19 years in Oloroso sherry casks and offers sherry lovers both familiar and surprising flavors.

On the nose: mulberries and old tobacco, with a hint of sulphur. The taste is satisfying with rhubarb jam, sharp mint and dark chocolate. The finish reveals dark caramel with a hint of wood smoke: an excellent sherry profile.

Balvenie Cask&Character 19 (credit: PR)

Age is just a number

The tasting concluded symbolically with a no-age-statement (NAS) release: Balvenie TUN 1509. The number 1509 refers to the storage vat in which the whiskey is married before being bottled after being removed from the barrel.

This blend contains ex-bourbon and Oloroso sherry casks of varying ages, some of which are over 20 years old. On the nose: elderberries, violet aroma and rosemary. The taste is eclectic, with notes of blueberries, chili pepper and white chocolate. The finish is herbaceous and spicy, with green tea and juniper berries.

A dynamic and intriguing whisky, TUN 1509 benefits from being bottled at a higher alcohol content of 52.4%, highlighting its bold flavors without an overwhelming alcohol presence.

Balvenie TUN 1509 (credit: PR)

Avoiding tragedy

The Balvenie 50 edition and the record-breaking bottle price make for an exciting story. Yet the true story is that of an outstanding distillery in the midst of an inspiring generational transition, balancing tradition and innovation.

McKechnie’s tasting notes for the Balvenie 50 highlight a deep fruit aroma, candied apricots, cedarwood and nutty spices. The palate offers caramelized fruit, rich spice, hints of vanilla, dried ginger and citrus.

It sounds wonderful, but let’s address the elephant in the room: of the 125 bottles worldwide, it’s uncertain how many will ever be opened. That’s the tragedy of these releases – often collectibles, or worse, mere investments.

To anyone planning to buy Balvenie 50 in Israel, I say: open the bottle!