Scottish distillery The Balvenie has unveiled a single malt distilled on 5 March 1931 and matured for 88 years — the oldest malt whisky ever bottled. The previous record belonged to an 85-year-old Glenlivet released by Gordon & MacPhail in 2025.
The spirit rested in a European oak sherry butt numbered 239, sourced from Jerez, inside the distillery’s Speyside warehouses. Maturation was halted in 2019 and the whisky was bottled at 43.2% ABV, yielding only 17 bottles. Malt master Kelsey McKechnie explained that the decision to bottle came down to the liquid’s balance and flavour rather than its age alone.
No public price has been announced; the bottles are offered directly to collectors, with UK enquiries handled through Harrods. The release opens The Balvenie 1931 Collection, rounded out by two far more accessible limited editions: a 12-year-old at 47.5% and a 15-year-old at 47.8%.
Balvenie is part of the whisky selection available at Mister Tabaco — see Balvenie The Creation of a Classic.
Source: The Spirits Business