Stories in every cask

The Balvenie 12 Year Old Montilla Wine Cask

A new chapter in Balvenie’s Collection of Curious Casks has arrived.

The tale of the Montilla Wine Cask

The Balvenie has always been a distillery defined by stories… of people, place, and patience. This philosophy lies at the heart of A Collection of Curious Casks, where new sides of Balvenie’s spirit are revealed.

For 2025, Malt Master Kelsey McKechnie takes us to Andalusia with the Montilla Wine Seasoned Cask 12 Year Old. Montilla, a Spanish town famed for its rich dessert wines, lends its sweet, fruity depth to Balvenie’s signature honey and vanilla.

Patience is everything here. As McKechnie says, giving the spirit and oak time to mingle is as much science and art as it is magic. It’s this approach that defines the series. Whiskies that intrigue, surprise, and carry forward the stories of Warehouse 24.

Each release is also a visual tribute. Artist Andy Lovell brings the distillery’s atmosphere to life through expressive illustrations. For this edition, Lovell depicts McKechnie herself in the Warehouse 24, drawing samples from the very casks that tell this new story.

NEW Balvenie 12 YO Montilla

More Curious Casks

Balvenie 12 YO Montilla Wine Seasoned Cask

The newest addition to A Collection of Curious Casks takes The Balvenie on a journey south to Andalusia. This 12-year-old Speyside single malt has matured in European oak butts previously seasoned with sweet wine from Montilla, a Spanish town celebrated for its lush dessert wines.

The whisky builds on Balvenie’s honey, vanilla, and oak, layering in notes of dried apricot, candy sweetness, and gentle spice from the Montilla influence. It’s bottled at 47.3% ABV, giving it extra depth and presence without overwhelming its elegant balance.

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Tasting Notes

Nose:

Fresh and delicate, with barley sugar, honey, and subtly toasted oak.

Palate:

Candy sweetness upfront, followed by rich vanilla oak, dried apricot, and warm spice.

Finish:

Refreshingly sweet, elegantly balanced between wood and fruit.

More curious casks

Explore more from The Balvenie’s experimental side, including French Pineau and bold 14-year-old single malts.

A bottle of The Balvenie Stories 18 year old French Pineau cask and 2 glasses of whisky.

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Tasting notes

Balvenie Stories 18YO - French Pineau Cask

This is an experiment started by master blender David Stewart MBE and finished by his successor Kelsey McKechnie. It began life in American oak before finishing in French Pineau casks. Pineau des Charentes is a speciality of the Cognac region, a blend of unfermented grape juice and brandy aged in oak to produce a popular sweet digestif. It works beautifully with The Balvenie's sweet, fruity profile.

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A bottle of The Balvenie Stories 14 year old Bourbon Barrel and 2 glasses of whisky.

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Tasting notes

Balvenie 14 Year Old 2009 - A Collection of Curious Casks

Another addition to the exclusive Balvenie Stories range, which showcases the rich history of the distillery. This unusual single malt was the first batch distilled with unpeated barley following the annual' peat week' when smoky whisky is made, so it has picked up a subtle smoky flavour. It was then aged for 14 years in first-fill bourbon casks and bottled at 47% to produce a unique Balvenie.

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