Uisge-beatha е названието за уиски на шотландски келтски език, като думата “уиски” произлиза от неправилно произнасяне на думата “‘uisge”. Uisge-beatha се превежда буквално като “вода на живота”. Но къде е мястото на шотландското уиски във всичко това? Шотландското уиски (скоч) е малцово или зърнено уиски, което се произвежда изцяло в Шотландия и се разделя на пет различни категории: сингъл малц (single malt), сингъл грейн (single grain), смесено малцово (blended malt), смесено зърнено (blended grain) и смесено (blended) уиски. В Ballantine’s смесваме малцово и зърнено уиски от четирите краища на Шотландия. Това включва Спейсайд, Айлей, Хайлендс и Лоулендс.
Stay true to yourself and perfection will be your constant companion!
George Baliantine
Aging
In order for a Scotch-made whiskey to be called "Scottish", it must be aged in oak barrels for at least three years. This allows the whiskey to interact with the barrels and extract aromas as well as color from the wood. The higher the quality of the barrel and the longer the storage time, the more aroma the whiskey can absorb. Because Ballantine's has been producing whiskey for so long, we have some of the world's most impressive stocks of aged Scotch whiskey, which means we have blends aged over thirty or forty years. After bottling, "ripening" stops. The drink is still very well preserved, but do not hesitate to enjoy one or two sips now.
Blending
Blended Scotch whiskey is a product of blending multiple single malts and grain whiskeys, and the production of blended Scotch whiskey is anything but easy. It requires great skills, an impressive level of intuition, an excellent memory of the palate and an exceptional nose. Throughout Ballantine's history, our five master blenders have always been known for their hard work and passion for quality. Each of these blenders has taken care of the continuity and quality of the Ballantine's brand, remaining true to the original family character of the whiskeys. Learn more about the history of the brand here.
Bottling
High quality whiskey deserves a quality bottle. There is no better way to establish the quality of our whiskey than the heraldic coat of arms we were awarded in 1938 and appears on every bottle of Ballantine's Scotch Scotch to this day. The coat of arms includes the Scottish flag and the four main elements of whiskey production - earth (represented by Scottish barley), water (from nearby fresh streams), fire (which heats the mixture in a copper vertical distillation vessel) and air (which allows the whiskey to breathe in oak barrel). Another characteristic feature visible on each bottle is the Latin phrase 'Amicus Humani Generis', which means friend of all mankind. The friend never betrays you.
