Balmenach 12 years 2005 Cadenhead's One of 576 - bottled 2017 Small Batch (Brown)

Scotland, Speyside. Distillery operational. Owner: Inver House Distillers

When it was incorporated into Inver House Distillers in 1997, Balmenach joined a pool of distilleries composed of Knockdhu (An Cnoc), Speyburn, Pulteney and Balblair. This independent company also owned the blends Catto's, Hankey Bannister, Glen Flagler, Pinwinnie and MacArthur's. Despite the change in owner (previously United Distillers), Balmenach remains to this day a little-known distillery and even more of a niche malt. Its own-name versions are limited to a handful of bottlings, such as a 14 year old bottling in the Flora & Fauna range and a few vintages in the Highland Selection range. Two versions under the name Balmenach-Glenlivet aged 14 years and 19 years respectively were bottled in the mid-80s for the Italian company Sestante.

A Balmenach small batch distilled in 2005 and bottled in 2017. Cadenhead's was founded in Aberdeen in 1842 by George Duncan. William Cadenhead then joined the company and, when George Duncan died in 1858, took over and renamed the business after himself. William’’s nephew Roberth Duthie developed the company in the early 20th century and it remained a family business until 1969. William Cadenhead Ltd was then sold to the Springbank distillery’’s owner J. & A. Mitchell and Co. Hedley G. Wright, a direct descendent of Archibald and John Mitchell, became William Cadenhead Ltd’’s CEO. In the past, Cadenhead had mainly sold its own brands, such as Putachieside, The Hielanman, Seven Stars and Green Label rums. Under Hedley G. Wright, the company began to take more of an interest in single malts. This led to the creation of the legendary collection of dumpy bottles in 1977. This series of single malts stood out for its very gentle filtration, lack of artificial colouring, and relatively high bottling strength for the time (80 proof/45.7% ABV). The labels included lots of information, including the month and year of distillation and bottling, and whether or not sherry casks were used. Also in 1977, the business moved to another address in Aberdeen, and finally to Campbeltown. In the 1980s, Cadenhead sold casks to legendary bottlers such as Samaroli and Corti Brothers through the subsidiary Duthie’’s. Finally, two new whisky ranges were created in 1991 and 1992, the Original Collection bottled at 46% and the Authentic Collection bottled at cask strength. Other special series to mark Cadenhead’’s major anniversaries (150 and 175 years), as well as new ranges launched since (Small Batch, World Whiskies, etc.), have all contributed to the company’’s ongoing history up to the present day. A limited edition of 576 bottles.