The expression uses casks from Pineau des Charentes, a fortified wine made from fresh, unfermented grape juice or a blend of lightly fermented grape must, to which a Cognac eau-de-vie is added and then matured.
“Our casks have been used to season Red Pineau des Charantes, and all have a variety of different histories,” said Anna Austin, wood buyer at William Grant & Sons.
“The complexity of their journey to The Balvenie is what brings the depth of flavour to our whisky. By working closely with specialist wine cask suppliers who source the casks from some very special French wineries, we know we can deliver on the highest quality we strive for in our craft.”
The release is part of the Flavours of The Balvenie range which includes the Madeira Cask 15 Year Old and PX Sherry Cask 18 Year Old.
“With the release of our new French Oak 16 Year Old, we are exploring yet another world of flavour through the incredible cask finishing process which our malt master of nearly 60 years, David C. Stewart MBE, pioneered decades ago,” said Alwynne Gwilt, The Balvenie brand ambassador UK.
“It’s incredible to watch the flavours unfurl in a new way with the addition of these Pineau de Charantes casks and showcases that the skill it takes to continue innovating is deep within our ethos of staying true to being a maker at heart.”
