Deep within the Speyside whisky region, between picturesque Inverness and the port city of Aberdeen on the Scottish Highlands, lies Ballantine’s core distillery, wrapped in two-centuries-old history and blending techniques. Nestled in the lush, fertile valley of River Spey (the rivers and streams of Scotland are what afford the whiskies their flavours), this is where the signature malt whisky used in Ballantine’s blends is distilled.
Ballantine’s is listed #2 worldwide in the scotch whisky blends pantheon, historically strong in Europe but also growing in sales volume in other regions, including India. To put the whisky brand in perspective, we need to look at how big the fine scotch whisky blends market in India is. The country is known to consume approximately 48 percent of the world's whisky, a market that is dominated by blended varieties, many home-grown but a lot of Scottish import too. Her Majesty’s Revenue and Custom’s data, published by the Scotch Whisky Association in 2018, reveals that Britain's Scotch whisky exports increased in the first half of 2018 to GBP 1.97 billion, a 10.8 percent rise in value over previous year, with a surge in demand from India leading the upward trend. Exports to India increased by 44.4 percent to over GBP 56 million, followed closely by China.
Ballantine's blending lab.Ballantine’s Growth Trajectory
Statistics reveal that Ballantine’s, owned by Chivas Brothers—part of the Pernod Ricard empire—generated worldwide volume sales of 6.9 million 9 liter cases in 2017 (there is no data available for 2018). Year-on-year, the brand has grown upwards of three percent, making it the second largest selling scotch whisky in the world.
In India, Ballantine’s sells Ballantine’s Finest, 12YO, 17YO, 21YO and Ballantine’s 30. The IWSR volumes for Premium BIO Scotch (the category in which the brand is listed) reveals that Ballantine’s Finest stacks up on the second position in India, having achieved a double-digit growth of 13.1 percent in 2017, and a CAGR (compounded annual growth) of 46.7 percent between 2014 and 2017.
While it faces tough competition from home-grown brands for space on the crowded bar shelf of India’s blended whisky-drinking population, in terms of sheer numbers in the niche luxury scotch blends market, Ballantine’s is one of the top dogs.
The Stories, The Experiences
Over the last few years, more Indians have begun looking for ‘experiences’ revolving around whisky; to go beyond just the experience of drinking it and explore its heritage, distilling methods, the several stories associated with it, and exploring the fascinating world of distilleries.
The premiumization uptick has led to deeper penetration and faster adoption by consumers, particularly millennials seeking experiential that allow them to deep dive into history, enjoy the stories and understand the tasting notes. The term refers to ways by which consumers can be provided with a taste of fine living, a trend that has become a game-changer in the alcohol business.
Ballantine’s has been indulging consumers with several such experiences, from tasting sessions to pairings. But one of its most exclusive offerings is a rare chance to visit its core distillery in Speyside.
The Speyside Distillery
The pretty, pale yellow colour rectangular building nestles within the mountains of Scottish Highlands. The distillery experience marries history, culture (drinking whisky is a cultural thing for the Scots) and mind-blowing landscape, a patina of blue waters, snow swathes and glens. The distillery in Moray had been in existence for 175 years, before it was demolished and rebuilt in 2004.
I had the opportunity to tour the distillery (which is rarely opened to tourists) with Chivas Regal master blender Colin Scott. Legend has it that the distillery sightings by whisky connoisseurs are as infrequent as that of the mythical Loch Ness monster. I enter the distillery through a small welcoming hall, which shows the six bottles in the current Ballantine’s range, plus the age statements of 12, 17, 21 and 30 years old.
Colin ScottThe master blender walks us through the Porteus mill that remains from the original distillery to a large room with stunning views of the surrounding countryside, where he explains the different strains of barley used and what they look for to give the required characteristics to the whisky. The distillery is housed in a massive space, beginning with the mash tun where warm water is added to milled barley and soluble sugars are extracted. The copper-domed mash tun can hold 7.5 tonnes of barley and after a five-hour cycle, yields approximately 35,000 litres of sugary wort.
A consummate storyteller and blender, the sprightly Scott talks the group through Ballantine’s history as we trundle past the washback tanks where the barley is fermented; the distillation area with six copper pot stills with swan-neck sections—four of which are from the demolished distillery; right up to the space where the signature malt whisky is matured in ex-bourbon casks. This signature malt whisky is one of the many that are used for Ballantine’s blended range.
Process of making malt.The fascinating world of Ballantine’s is sheathed in layers of stories that make drinking it an intensely satisfying experience. Scott talks about how the brand continues to be true to the blending techniques followed since the time George Ballantine, the founder, first began making his own blends.
Ballantine’s is considered some kind of a pioneer of aged, blended whisky in these parts. Its heritage can be traced back to 1827, when Ballantine, a grocer, expanded his business to the area of wines and spirits. In 1865, he moved to Glasgow to begin blending his own whiskies and developed a balanced and elegant dram that came to be known as Ballantine’s. Among his clients was also the British royal family. in 1895, Ballantine & Son was awarded a Royal Warrant from Queen Victoria, the ultimate endorsement of the company’s reputation. The Ballantine family ultimately sold out in 1919 to Barclay and McKinlay. The brand is now part of the Pernod Ricard portfolio.
Casks in which ballantine's is matured.“The magic of Ballantine’s lies in the blending process,” says Scott as we stride to the Old Customs House, the only building that was allowed to stand when the distillery was demolished; it is now a blending lab. This was my first whisky blending experience and in front of me are five to six bottles and measuring tubes, from which I am asked to measure out different malt whiskies to create my own blend. I aim for caramel flavours, mixing and measuring to ultimately create what Scott happily calls, a “boom boom blend” which would be interesting on an evening out with friends and “best served in a nightclub.” I learn that a sophisticated scotch whisky blend has about 80% neutral grain spirit, to which other malt whiskies with different flavour profiles are added in smaller quantities.
Old customs house.The tasting of four of Ballantine’s famous blends is held in what was once George Ballantine’s beautiful home, filled with antique treasures, stuffed leather couches and an old-world fireplace. The blends are made for a broad appeal—sufficiently smooth to satisfy the popular-end of the market, but sophisticated enough to attract connoisseurs.
If the light gold coloured Ballantine’s Finest has a subtle, sweet and vanilla finish and is created using the oldest recipe in the current range, drummed up in 1910 by the Ballantine family, the well-balanced 12YO is amazingly creamy with sweet honey notes. Ballantine’s 17YO has a slightly peaty flavour and a subtle smell of oak, while the 21YO is rich and intense, with concentrated ripe fruits and cinnamon spice flavours.
Ballantine’s Finest.Scott’s guided blending and tasting sessions allow me to understand the craftsmanship that goes into blending whiskies. It demystifies the world of blended whiskies, pulling it down from the unreachable pedestal on which close-door snobbish clubs of connoisseurs of yore placed the tasting experience, to a more fascinating realm of stories and myths, tasting notes and aromas.
(Picture credit: Deepali Nandwani)
First Published: Apr 6, 2019 8:03 AM IST
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