Pernod Ricard Launches 'Ballantine's 40-Year Masterclass Collection'

Master Blender 'Sandy Hislop' Tribute Edition
Enhancing Collectible Value with 40-Year Aged Original Spirit

Pernod Ricard Korea announced on the 24th that it will launch a new collection of the Scotch whisky brand ‘Ballantine’s’ called the ‘Ballantine’s 40-Year Masterclass Collection.’

Pernod Ricard Korea, 'Ballantine's 40-Year Masterclass Collection'

The Ballantine’s 40-Year Masterclass Collection is a tribute collection dedicated to the Ballantine’s Master Blender, who has preserved the value of Ballantine’s over 200 years. It was created based on the five essential techniques passed down from ‘Jack Gaudy,’ who was the Ballantine’s Master Blender from 1959 to 1994, to the current Master Blender, ‘Sandy Hyslop.’

The ‘Ballantine’s 40-Year Masterclass Collection’ features rare whisky distillates from casks of now-defunct distilleries once managed by Jack Gaudy, carefully selected and expertly blended by the current Master Blender Sandy Hyslop. All whiskies in the collection were matured in oak casks for 40 years and bottled at cask strength.

Pernod Ricard Korea plans to present the five techniques passed from Master Blender Jack Gaudy to current Master Blender Sandy Hyslop over five years annually through the ‘Ballantine’s 40-Year Masterclass Collection.’ This year marks the beginning of this series, named ‘The Remembering,’ to commemorate and dedicate the 40th year since Sandy Hyslop became Master Blender.

‘Ballantine’s 40-Year Masterclass Collection: The Remembering’ delicately handles whisky distillate from the now-closed Dumbarton Distillery, where Sandy Hyslop first received instruction from Jack Gaudy. This whisky offers a complex yet harmonious flavor profile. Dumbarton Distillery used traditional continuous stills, producing a creamy and smooth taste and flavor, matured in premium American oak casks that impart deep sweetness. Among them, ‘The Remembering’ presents a rich harmony of toffee candy, sweet and soft red apple flavors and aromas, and clove notes, delivering deep flavor and a long finish, showcasing the deep and rich taste and aroma matured over 40 years.

All decorations on the bottle were meticulously handcrafted, with each bottle engraved with a unique number to enhance its rarity. Additionally, the packaging is completed with an intricate 3D paper art piece specially created by renowned Scottish artist ‘Kyla McCallum’ exclusively for the Masterclass Collection, increasing its value.

Notably, this collection holds great significance as Ballantine’s first NFT issuance in collaboration with BlockBar. BlockBar is a global marketplace that sells alcoholic beverages authenticated through blockchain for luxury brands. Of the 108 bottles released annually, 24 bottles will be limited editions engraved with the messages ‘The Remembering’ and ‘1st NFT Release.’ Each bottle is stored on BlockBar with a digital certificate, and the physical whisky will be available from April 2024 onwards.

Sandy Hyslop, Ballantine’s Master Blender, said, “This Ballantine’s 40-Year Masterclass Collection is a meaningful collection prepared while reminiscing about the early days spent at the distillery with Jack Gaudy. I will strive to ensure that the passion, patience, and strict quality control learned from the master blenders before me are passed on to future generations.”

Meanwhile, the Ballantine’s 40-Year Masterclass Collection: The Remembering is produced and sold globally in a limited quantity of 108 bottles annually, with 6 bottles allocated to the domestic market.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.