Ballantine's facts for kids
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Finest new serve
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| Type | Blended Scotch whisky |
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| Manufacturer | Chivas Brothers (Pernod Ricard) |
| Country of origin | Scotland |
| Introduced | 1827 |
| Alcohol by volume | 40% |
Ballantine's is a well-known brand of blended Scotch whisky. It's made by a company called Chivas Brothers, which is part of Pernod Ricard. This whisky is produced in Dumbarton, Scotland.
This whisky gets its special taste from different kinds of malt and grain whiskies mixed together. It's known for winning many awards! In 2021, it was the second most popular Scotch whisky in the world. It's especially popular in countries in Southern Europe.
Contents
The Story of Ballantine's
How It All Began
The story of Ballantine's Scotch whisky started way back in 1827. A man named George Ballantine, who was a farmer's son, opened a small grocery store. This store was in Edinburgh, and he sold different whiskies to his customers.
In 1865, George let his oldest son, Archibald, run the Edinburgh store. George then opened a bigger shop in Glasgow. There, he focused on selling wines and spirits. He even started making his own special blends of whisky!
His blends became very popular. His second son, George Jr., joined the business. They named their company "George Ballantine and Son Ltd". They even started sending their Scotch whisky to other countries. George Sr. retired in 1881 and passed away ten years later. George Jr. then took charge of the company.
Growing Bigger
The business did very well under George Jr. In 1919, the family sold the company to Barclay and McKinlay. The new owners wanted to make "Ballantine's" a famous brand for their blended whiskies.
To grow even more, a Canadian company called Hiram Walker Gooderham & Worts bought Ballantine's in 1937. The next year, the company received a special award. This award recognized George Ballantine & Son as an important Scottish company.
New Distilleries and Global Reach
The new owners first bought the Miltonduff and Glenburgie Distilleries. They also built a huge new grain distillery in Dumbarton. It was the biggest in Europe at the time!
In the 1960s, the company started selling its whisky in Europe. This was a new market for Scotch whisky. By 1965, Ballantine's was very popular there. In 1986, Ballantine's was the number one brand in Europe. It was also the third largest in the world.
In Korea, Ballantine's is very popular. Their 17-year-old, 21-year-old, and 30-year-old whiskies are favorites. In 1988, the company became part of a big global company called Allied Domecq.
Modern Times
In 2002, the large Dumbarton Grain distillery stopped making whisky. Production moved to the Strathclyde Grain distillery in Glasgow. In 2005, Pernod Ricard bought Ballantine's.
Ballantine's still has a large storage area and a bottling plant in Dumbarton. In 2006, Sandy Hyslop became the Ballantine's Master Blender. He is the fifth person to hold this important job in the company's long history.
Different Kinds of Ballantine's
Ballantine's makes several different types of whisky. Each one has its own special taste and age. Here are some of them:
- Finest: This is a blended whisky. It's described as "soft, sweet, and complex."
- Limited: This blended whisky is "creamy soft and smooth."
- 12-year-old: This blended whisky tastes "fresh, soft, and nutty."
- 12-year-old "Pure Malt": This is a blended malt whisky. It's known for being "honey sweet, spicy, and deep."
- 17-year-old: This blended whisky is "creamy, harmonious, and oak-sweetness."
- 21-year-old: This blended whisky is "spicy, aromatic, and has a heather smoke taste."
- 30-year-old: This blended whisky is "rich, oak influenced, and lingering."
- 40-year-old: This blended whisky has "incredible depth, is complex, and extremely fruity."
