Only one bottle of the Second Edition of The Balvenie’s rarest series of single malts will be available in Malaysia. – Photos: Handout
Back in 1973, The Balvenie’s craftspeople, led by former Malt Master David C. Stewart, came together to fill a cask with whisky. 50 years later, that precious liquid has now seen the light of day as The Balvenie Fifty Collection.
The Balvenie Fifty Collection is the brand’s rarest series to date, a trilogy of single malts – The First (released in 2024), Second, and Third Editions – that stands as a tribute to tradition, expertise, and the enduring spirit of The Balvenie.
The Second Edition was recently launched in Malaysia, and it is a true masterpiece, crafted from the marriage of two 1973 casks, and representing five decades of human touch, patience, and mastery.
For the Second Edition, Malt Master Kelsey McKechnie expands the profile of the range by marrying the inaugural release – a rare single cask expression drawn exclusively from a European oak refill butt filled in 1973 – with a second: an American oak hogshead, also filled in 1973.
“Marrying together rare casks to create something extraordinary is a fitting testament to the stories that precede each cask,” McKechnie says.
“For The Second Edition, we selected an American oak hogshead filled in 1973 to build on the legacy of the inaugural release. The time spent maturing in American oak has nurtured a beautifully balanced character, with notes of sweet honey and warming oak.”
This profile was chosen to complement the European oak influence of The First Edition, she adds, creating “a marriage of casks that brings both contrast and continuity to the flavour thread running through the trilogy.”
The Second Edition of The Balvenie Fifty Collection showcases flavours of molten dates, sweet soft currants and a subtle citrus zest, layered over creamy honey and a buttery finish.
Rare and exclusive
Bottled at ABV 49.8%, only 97 bottles of the Second Edition will be available globally, making one of the rarest and most interesting releases ever from The Balvenie Distillery. In Malaysia, only one bottle of this rare liquid has been made available.
With over 130 years of tradition, The Balvenie is one of the last distilleries to uphold its Five Rare Crafts, a testament to authenticity, artistry, and the human touch. The Balvenie continues to honour time-honoured techniques that shape every drop, from barley growing to cask-making to the art of maturation.
Crafted with the same devotion as the whisky itself, the packaging of The Balvenie Fifty Collection Second Edition is developed by Croglin; a bespoke craft workshop based in Cumbria, United Kingdom.
Each presentation contains over 100 different elements, including seven layers of wood in the helix structure less than 1/10th of a millimetre thick and a crafted 14 carat gold plated brass display.
In comparison to the inaugural release, The Second Edition will display a darker wood stain applied to the grain, while each hand-blown bottle will be individually numbered.
A tribute to half a century of craftsmanship, The Balvenie Fifty Collection celebrates the interwoven stories of the makers who have shaped the distillery’s legacy, where each bottle is a reflection of patience, mastery and human touch.
The Balvenie Fifty Second Edition will be exclusively available in Malaysia in early 2026, with one bottle allocated to the market exclusively through The Chamber, Starhill KL, Kuala Lumpur. Whisky collectors and enthusiasts may submit private purchase inquiries via jeremy@wonderfulbev.com
