The nectar of the GODS

THE BALVENIE, one of the world’s most revered and luxurious hand-crafted single-malt Speyside Scotch whiskies, now has a permanent home in Bangkok above the cigar and spirits boutique Cohiba Atmosphere in Ploenchit.
The Balvenie Lounge, the first of its kind in Southeast Asia, is inspired by The Balvenie distillery in Scotland, and provides an intimate venue for enjoying an exquisite range of single malts while surrounded by shelves and showcases of premium Speyside whiskies.
The atmosphere is luxurious and private with lots of rich, dark wood and elegant forms that take guests on a a journey into the production of the world’s premier handcrafted single malt. The d้cor is inspired by the colours of The Balvenie Distillery in Dufftown, Scotland, incorporating the notions of the exquisite hand-crafted touch of The Balvenie makers – the Malt Master, craftsmen, coppersmiths and coopers, all experts in their respective fields.
The design language is exclusive yet intimate, traditional yet modern, masterful yet unassuming – an ideal environment in which to chat, sip and appreciate one of the most decorated whiskies.
Neil Strachan, The Balvenie regional brand ambassador, Scotch whisky enthusiast and passionate advocate of premium hand-crafted malts, explains.
“Our vision for The Balvenie is that it becomes the malt whisky enthusiast’s favourite. As such, it is extremely important that we are able to foster a close connection between the distillery and drinkers of The Balvenie. The Balvenie Lounge Bangkok does just that, putting our customers in direct contact not only with a world-leading range of luxury whisky bottlings, but also with the very heart of The Balvenie’s Scottish distillery.”
The Balvenie is unique in the world of masterfully produced single malts because of the distillery’s “5 Rare Crafts”. The Balvenie is one of the few distilleries that still grows its own barley at The Balvenie Mains Farm which adjoins the distillery, which is then floor-malted in the traditional way to add complexity.
The Balvenie’s own coppersmiths are charged with upkeep of the stills, defining the smooth, honeyed flavour of the whisky. The casks provide much of the character, with the preparation managed by highly skilled in-house coopers. Finally, David Stewart, the Malt Master, ensures the taste of each whisky makes the absolute best of the complex alchemy of spirit, wood and time.
The Balvenie Lounge offers the complete portfolio of The Balvenie’s single malt bottlings, each unique, but all rich, luxuriously smooth and underpinned by that distinctive honeyed character. They include The Balvenie Double Wood 12 Year Old, so named for its maturation in two wood types, giving a smooth and mellow taste of sweet nut and cinnamon. The highly lauded The Balvenie Caribbean Cask 14 Year Old is finished in casks that previously contained Caribbean rum, with a taste of oak and light vanilla.
The Balvenie Double Wood 17 Year Old is matured in American oak and European sherry casks, offering a taste of sherbet, creamy toffee, toasted almonds, with a spicy honey finish. Other highlights are The Balvenie Portwood Aged 21 Years, The Balvenie Thirty and The Balvenie Forty. Prices range from Bt500 to Bt5,000 a glass, and Bt5,000 to Bt100,000 a bottle.
The Balvenie Single Malt Scotch Whisky is produced by William Grant & Sons Ltd, an award-winning independent family-owned distiller founded by William Grant in 1886 and today run by his direct descendants.