Balvenie Stories Week of Peat 14 Years Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)
Volume: 700ml ABV: 48.3% Age: 14 Years Old Country: Australia
The Whisky
The Balvenie A Week of Peat is a fascinating departure from the distillery’s classic honeyed profile, forming part of the celebrated “Balvenie Stories” collection. This 14 year old expression commemorates a specific tradition at the distillery: for one week every year, the team pauses their usual production to distil a batch of heavily peated malt. This practice began in 2002 after former Distillery Manager Ian Millar brought back a “peat burner” from Islay. Matured exclusively in American oak barrels, this whisky is bottled at 48.3% ABV, offering a rare opportunity to experience The Balvenie’s signature sweetness enveloped in a layer of Highland peat smoke.
Our Tasting Notes
The nose is beautifully balanced, leading with a gentle, fragrant earthy smoke that mingles with floral honey and sweet butterscotch. On the palate, the whisky is creamy and velvety, delivering flavours of citrus zest, blossom honey, and vanilla, which are perfectly intertwined with notes of delicate peat smoke and a touch of cinnamon spice. The 48.3% strength provides an excellent weight, ensuring the flavours feel concentrated and rich. The finish is long and satisfying, concluding with a lingering creamy sweetness and a final, sophisticated puff of dry wood smoke.
The Story & Team
This bottling tells the story of how the distillery team experimented with different levels of peat to create a new dimension of flavour while staying true to the Balvenie DNA. It is a tribute to the craftsmanship of the distillery workers who manage this special week of production. Malt Master Kelsey McKechnie (who worked alongside the legendary David C. Stewart MBE) oversees the consistency of this release, ensuring that the peat influence remains elegant and “Highland” in style—earthy and herbal rather than medicinal—preserving the delicate honeyed character for which the distillery is famous.
The Distillery
The Balvenie is one of the most traditional distilleries in Speyside, maintaining a level of “hands-on” craftsmanship that is rare in the modern era. Located in Dufftown, it is one of the few distilleries that still grows its own barley, uses traditional floor maltings, and employs a team of on-site coopers and coppersmiths. This commitment to the “Five Rare Crafts” ensures that every expression is imbued with a unique, artisanal quality. A Week of Peat is a brilliant example of how this traditional distillery continues to innovate by looking back at historic production methods.
