The Balvenie 1931 Collection 12 Year Old Home Malted Barley Finished Scotch Whisky
The Balvenie 1931 Collection 12 Year Old Home Malted Barley Finished Scotch Whisky is a limited-edition Speyside single malt crafted from 100% home-malted barley — barley malted on The Balvenie's own traditional malting floor in Dufftown, Scotland, where the germinating grain is still turned by hand. Bottled at 47.5% ABV (95 proof) in a 700mL bottle, this 12 year old single malt Scotch whisky is matured in American oak and finished in ex-sherry bodega European oak butts from Jerez, Spain. It is available to order online at Del Mesa Liquor.
- Proof / ABV: 95 proof (47.5% ABV)
- Age: 12 years
- Barley: 100% home-malted barley, floor-malted by hand at the distillery, from the Mains of Balvenie farm and partner farms
- Casks: Matured in American oak, finished in ex-sherry bodega European oak butts from Jerez
- Size: 700mL
- Distillery: The Balvenie, Dufftown, Speyside, Scotland
- Release: The 1931 Collection — limited edition, created with artist Daniel Arsham under Malt Master Kelsey McKechnie
The 1931 Collection
The 1931 Collection takes its name from 1931 — the year The Balvenie's malt floor opened, and the year of the single cask behind the collection's extraordinary 88 Year Old, the oldest single malt Scotch whisky ever released. This 12 Year Old is the collection's modern interpretation of that very rare Balvenie: where the wider range uses only a proportion of home-malted barley, this bottling is made entirely from barley the distillery malted itself, a labor-intensive craft almost every other distillery gave up generations ago. The label carries the signatures of Malt Master Kelsey McKechnie and Daniel Wiseman, The Balvenie Malt Master from 2009 to 2016. Explore the full The Balvenie collection and the wider Scotch whisky shelf at Del Mesa.
Tasting Notes
Warm biscuit, green malt and orange peel on the nose. The palate brings honeyed toffee and barley sugar, lifted by crystallised ginger, raisin and aromatic oak from the Jerez sherry butts. The finish is rich, smooth and gently spiced. If you enjoy the honeyed house style of The Balvenie DoubleWood 12 Year Old, this limited bottling shows the same character in a brighter, more spirit-led register — and fans of American oak maturation should also see The Balvenie The Sweet Toast Of American Oak 12 Year Old.
How to Enjoy
Pour it neat in a tulip glass and give it a few minutes — the malt character this bottling was built to show comes forward first, then the sherry spice. A few drops of still water open up the orange peel and barley sugar. It is a contemplative after-dinner dram, and a natural pour alongside dark chocolate or a cheese board.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is The Balvenie 1931 Collection?
A limited-edition series created with artist Daniel Arsham, named for 1931 — the year the distillery's malt floor opened and the year of the cask behind its 88 Year Old, the oldest single malt ever released. The collection also includes a 15 Year Old for travel retail.
What does "100% home-malted barley" mean?
Every grain in this whisky was malted on The Balvenie's own malting floor in Dufftown, turned by hand as it germinated — barley grown at the Mains of Balvenie farm together with barley from partner farms. The Balvenie is one of the very few distilleries still floor-malting its own barley.
How is the 1931 Collection 12 Year Old matured?
It is matured in American oak and finished in ex-sherry bodega European oak butts from Jerez, Spain, then bottled at 47.5% ABV (95 proof).
What size is the bottle?
700mL, presented in the 1931 Collection tube signed by Malt Master Kelsey McKechnie.
Order The Balvenie 1931 Collection 12 Year Old Home Malted Barley Finished Scotch Whisky online from Del Mesa Liquor — three bottles on the shelf, and this limited edition will not be restocked once they are gone.