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Ballantine's

Ballantine's

Uisge-beatha is the Scottish Gaelic word for whisky, with the word "whisky" originating from a mispronunciation of "'uisge". Uisge-beatha translates literally as "water of life". But where does Scotch whisky fit into all this? Scotch whisky (scotch) is a malt or grain whisky that is produced entirely in Scotland and is divided into five different categories: single malt, single grain, blended malt, blended grain and blended whisky. At Ballantine's, we blend malt and grain whiskies from the four corners of Scotland. This includes Speyside, Islay, Highlands and Lowlands.

Stay true to yourself and excellence will be your constant companion!
George Ballantine

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Aging

For a Scotch whisky to be called "Scotch", it must mature in oak casks for at least three years. This allows the whisky to interact with the casks and extract aromas and color from the wood. The higher the quality of the cask and the longer the storage time, the more flavor the whisky can absorb. Because Ballantine's has been producing whisky for so long, we have some of the world's most impressive stocks of aged Scotch whisky, meaning we have blends aged over thirty or forty years. After bottling, the "maturation" stops. The drink is still very well preserved, but don't hesitate to enjoy a sip or two now.

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Blending

Blended Scotch whisky is a product of mixing numerous single malt and grain whiskies, and the production of blended Scotch whisky is anything but easy. It requires great skill, an impressive level of intuition, an excellent palate memory, and an exceptional nose. Throughout Ballantine's history, our five Master Blenders have always been distinguished by hard work and a passion for quality. Each of these blenders has taken care of the continuity and quality of the Ballantine's brand, remaining true to the original family character of the whiskies. Learn more about the brand's history here.

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Bottling

High-quality whisky deserves a quality bottle. There is no better way to establish the quality of our whisky than the heraldic crest, which we were granted in 1938 and features on every bottle of Ballantine's Scotch whisky to this day. The crest includes the Scottish flag and the four basic elements of whisky production - earth (represented by Scottish barley), water (from nearby fresh streams), fire (which heats the mixture in a copper pot still), and air (which allows the whisky to breathe in an oak barrel). Another distinctive feature visible on every bottle is the Latin phrase 'Amicus Humani Generis', which means friend of the human race. A friend never lets you down.