The Balvenie is a Scotch whisky distillery that prides itself on tradition, craft and skill, which is why it has its ongoing Maker’s Project—an initiative that celebrates craft by collaborating with artists and craftspeople all around the world. In Malaysia, the latest of such collaborations was with designer Edward Tan, who created a one-of-a-kind art piece inspired by The Balvenie. Called Convergence, it is crafted in copper—a material essential for whisky stills—and takes the shape of a cask, one formed by 30 separate layers that imply the time and long-honed skill it takes to create a fine whisky.
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This art piece was unveiled at an exclusive dinner taking place at EQ Kuala Lumpur’s Sabayon restaurant, where diners were treated to a multi-course meal paired with various expressions of The Balvenie, including the 14-year-old Caribbean Cask, the 16-year-old French Oak, and the 21-year-old Portwood. The art piece itself was auctioned off, hitting RM38,000, with proceeds going towards The Rojak Projek, a social enterprise that focuses on creating positive understanding and awareness by promoting unity, culture and diversity.
The Balvenie also brought a couple of its own heavyweight stars. One of these was The Balvenie Thirty, which diners were able to experience via a curated tasting session. A marriage of American and European oak casks, it has a silky sweetness that underscores its complexity, one built on a classic foundation of honey and vanilla—and a hint of bright citrus to top it off.
Also on display was The Balvenie Fifty. Part of the distillery’s exceptional Old and Precious collection, this First Edition was launched earlier this year as a run of 125 bottles. Housed in an exceptional packaging that is a work of art on its own—a wood-crafted helix-structured cylinder—it is a single cask expression, drawn from a European oak refill butt filled in 1973. Despite its age, it is a still-considerable 52.3 per cent ABV, and the Balvenie’s sweet honey style still shines through. Of course, the sherry cask imparts a distinct flavour of its own—full of fruits and candied sweetness, along with a rich spiciness.
