‘The Influence of Oak’ explores Malt Master David Stewart MBE’s masterful leveraging of different wood types
Following the momentous launch of The Balvenie DCS Compendium Chapter One in October 2015, the eagerly anticipated The Balvenie DCS Compendium Chapter Two was unveiled last month (October 2016). Titled ‘The Influence of Oak’, this chapter features five extremely rare single malt whiskies. It highlights the complex manner in which different oak barrels influence the flavour of the spirit during the maturation process.
The Balvenie DCS Compendium is Malt Master David Stewart MBE’s handover of his knowledge in both written and liquid form that will see 25 rare and vintage casks released over five years. The Balvenie DCS Compendium captures the breadth of David’s achievement and contributions to the industry and his craft.
David pioneered double cask maturation or finishing during a 54 year career at The Balvenie, a legacy most notably fulfilled in The Balvenie 12 YO DoubleWood. This chapter showcases his vast knowledge and unrivalled expertise in understanding this process, which he has harnessed to craft whiskies of exceptional quality.
The whiskies in The Balvenie DCS Compendium Chapter Two range in age from 15 years to 43 years and were taken from different cask types, including; European oak Oloroso sherry butts, first fill American oak bourbon barrels, European oak port puncheon and European oak Pedro Ximénez sherry butt – with each barrel imparting their own distinct flavour profile to the final expression.
Commenting on The Balvenie DCS Compendium Chapter Two, David Stewart MBE, says: “As a Malt Master, I’m very lucky to have been trusted to experiment with different cask finishes and even try out my own techniques to see how they effect the distinctive honeyed characteristics of The Balvenie. Understanding how the oak and the previous spirit, or fortified wine held by the cask influences the whisky is a very important part of my job.
“This chapter highlights the complexity of flavours each expression takes from wood. I love the results from the older Oloroso sherry butt, which has produced a whisky with a fantastic floral and fruity nose, followed by a wonderful honeyed sweetness. The whisky taken from the 2001 Pedro Ximénez sherry butt is unusual, it shows The Balvenie as a near liqueur with toffee sweetness and a touch of spicy ginger.”
The Balvenie DCS Compendium Chapter Two whiskies are:
- 1972 Aged 43 years – Cask 13134, European oak Oloroso sherry butt, filled 31st October 1972, [
- 1990 Aged 25 years – Cask 2790, European oak Oloroso sherry butt, filled 3rd October 1990,
- 1990 Aged 26 years – Cask 7359, First fill American oak bourbon barrel, filled 1st May 1990,
- 1997 Aged 19 years – Cask 7951, European oak port puncheon, filled 6th August 1997,
- 2001 Aged 15 Years – Cask 9328, European oak Pedro Ximénez sherry butt, filled 25th April 2001,
As with each chapter in the The Balvenie DCS Compendium, Chapter Two is stunningly presented in a bespoke walnut and brass frame, crafted by Scottish wood craftsman Sam Chinnery. The rarity of each expressions is highlighted by an individual number engraved on the presentation case, showing it is one of just 50 sets available worldwide. Individual bottles from the set will also be available in single walnut presentation frames.
About The Balvenie DCS Compendium
The Balvenie DCS Compendium is the whisky launch of a lifetime, and a celebration of the industry’s longest-serving Malt Master – David Stewart MBE. Consisting of 25 exceptionally rare single cask single malts, the compendium and its accompanying book represent a handover of David’s skill and expertise to the future generations of craftsmen at the distillery.
The accompanying book has been written by Dr. Samuel J Simmons, The Balvenie Global Ambassador, and signed by David. Featuring a collection of archive imagery from The Balvenie distillery, the book captures and expands upon each of the five chapters and documents the process taken by David in curating the compendium.
Past and Future Chapters
Chapter One of The Balvenie DCS Compendium, titled ‘Distillery Style’, was released in October 2015 to critical acclaim the world over. Following Chapter One and Two, a further three chapters will be released annually until 2019, each featuring five individual casks that correspond with a certain theme within the accompanying book. The subsequent themes are as follows;
- Chapter Three: Secrets of the Stock Model
- Chapter Four: Expecting the Unexpected
- Chapter Five: Malt Master’s indulgence
To learn more about The Balvenie DCS Compendium, please visit
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