Ballantine's
Encyclopedia
Blended whiskey
A blended whisky is the product of blending different types of whiskies and often also neutral and near-neutral spirits, coloring, and flavorings...
scotch whiskies
Scotch whisky
Scotch whisky is whisky made in Scotland.Scotch whisky is divided into five distinct categories: Single Malt Scotch Whisky, Single Grain Scotch Whisky, Blended Malt Scotch Whisky , Blended Grain Scotch Whisky, and Blended Scotch Whisky.All Scotch whisky must be aged in oak barrels for at least three...
distilled by George Ballantine & Son Ltd in Dumbarton, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
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The Ballantine's flavour is dependent on 50 single malts, four single grains and in particular the fingerprint malts from Miltonduff and Glenburgie. The brand has won many accolades and awards for its products.
History
The heritage of Ballantine's scotch whiskyScotch whisky
Scotch whisky is whisky made in Scotland.Scotch whisky is divided into five distinct categories: Single Malt Scotch Whisky, Single Grain Scotch Whisky, Blended Malt Scotch Whisky , Blended Grain Scotch Whisky, and Blended Scotch Whisky.All Scotch whisky must be aged in oak barrels for at least three...
can be traced back to 1827, when farmer's son George Ballantine set up a small grocery store in Edinburgh supplying a range of whiskies to his clientele.
In 1865 George delegated the store's operation to his eldest son, Archibald, while he opened a larger establishment in Glasgow. Here he concentrated on the wine and spirit trade, catering to clients which included the Hindu Royal Family. He also began to create his own blends. These inspired additional demand, drawing second son, George junior, into the business. Trading as "'George Ballantine and Son Ltd"', the firm added a bonded warehouse
Bonded warehouse
A Bonded warehouse is a building or other secured area in which dutiable goods may be stored, manipulated, or undergo manufacturing operations without payment of duty. It may be managed by the state or by private enterprise. In the latter case a customs bond must be posted with the government...
and began to export their Scotch. George senior retired in 1881, George junior taking over, and died 10 years later at 83 to many tributes.
Business thrived under George junior, the family selling out profitably to the firm of "'Barclay and McKinlay"' in 1919. Building on the reputation and goodwill of the "Ballantine's" name, the new owners focused on developing it as a brand for their blended scotches. When increasing resources were needed to compete fully in the growing world market, the internationally experienced Canadian distilling concern of "'Hiram Walker
Hiram Walker
Hiram Walker was an American grocer and distiller, and the eponym of the famous distillery in Windsor, Ontario, Canada. Walker was born in East Douglas, Massachusetts, and moved to Detroit in the mid-1830s...
Gooderham & Worts"' acquired Ballantine's in 1937. The same year the company received the Grant of Heraldic Arms featured on their bottles, recognising "'George Ballantine & Son"' as an "incorporation noble on the Noblesse of Scotland".
The new owners' first task was to secure fillings, to which end the Miltonduff and Glenburgie Distilleries were purchased, and a massive new grain distillery - the largest in Europe - built at Dumbarton.
During the 1960s the company turned to Europe - at that time an unexplored market for Scotch - and by 1965 had secured such a strong foothold there that it resolved to gear the home trade to supporting the overseas business.
Strong distribution and the popularity of Scotch whisky in the mid-80's were key influencers in growth. Ballantine's was named the number one brand in Europe and the third largest in the world in 1986 with the oldest product Ballantine's Finest. In Korea, Ballantine's is the clear number one in the super-premium category with its ever-popular Ballantine's 17 in addition to 21 and 30. In 1988, the Company became part of the global beverage conglomerate Allied Domecq
Allied Domecq
Allied Domecq PLC was an international company, headquartered in Bristol, UK that operated spirits, wine, and quick service restaurant businesses. It was once a FTSE 100 Index constituent but has been acquired by Pernod Ricard.-History:...
.
In 2002 the large Dumbarton Grain distillery was mothballed, with production shifting to the Strathclyde Grain distillery in the Gorbals
Gorbals
The Gorbals is an area on the south bank of the River Clyde in the city of Glasgow, Scotland. By the late 19th century, it had become over-populated and adversely affected by local industrialisation. Many people lived here because their jobs provided this home and they could not afford their own...
of Glasgow. In 2005 Ballantine's was acquired by Pernod Ricard
Pernod Ricard
Pernod Ricard is a French company that produces distilled beverages. The company's eponymous products, Pernod Anise and Ricard Pastis, are both anise-flavoured liqueurs and are often referred to simply as Pernod or Ricard...
. Ballantines still maintain a large bonded warehouse complex in Dumbarton East and a bottling plant to the North of the town.
In 2006, Sandy Hyslop was appointed as Ballantine's Master Blender – the 5th Master Blender in Ballantine's 180 year history.
Products
Ballantine's has a range of six scotches with very distinctive characteristics and age statements:- Finest: blended - soft, sweet and complex
- 12 year old: blended - Fresh, soft, and nutty
- 12 year old: "Pure Malt" vatted malt - Honey sweet, spicy and deep
- 17 year old: blended
- 21 year old: blended - spig, aromatic and heather smoke
- 30 year old: blended - rich, oak influenced and lingering
Sponsorship
- Scottish Open Golf Tournament
- Australian A-League Football, Season 2007-8 - current
- Dumbarton Football ClubDumbarton F.C.Dumbarton Football Club is Scotland's 4th oldest football club – founded in 1872, just after Queen's Park , Kilmarnock and Stranraer...