02 INTRO

08 EDITOR'S LETTER

12 KEYWORDS
Balvenie's brand philosophy as seen in media comments

16 SPEYSIDE
Speyside, the home of Balvenie whisky

22 THE BALVENIE DISTILLERY
The Balvenie Distillery, the origin of over 130 years of history

26 FROM CRAFT TO BALVENIE
Balvenie's artisans, who carry on the tradition by making whiskey with care, one drop at a time.

48 INTERVIEW: DAVID C. STEWART & KELSEY MCKECHNIE
David Stewart and Kelsey McKennie, Malt Masters of The Balvenie, who control the taste and quality of the whisky.

54 CHARACTERISTICS
The Balvenie whisky lineup, a culmination of long-standing experience and know-how, and the design language that represents it.

62 OPINION: STEPH MURRAY
The Doans Hotel General Manager Steph Murray talks about the whisky community of Speyside.

68 SPEYSIDE'S MANNER
The bar culture of Speyside, the birthplace of single malt whisky

76 COEXIST IN MARKET
The diversity of the Scotch whisky market created by subtle differences in the manufacturing process.

84 BAR SPIRITS
Bar Scenes in Seoul, London, Saitama, and New York Presenting Whiskey Cocktails in a Unique Way

96 MANUALS
Useful whiskey knowledge to know

100 OPINION: HAEIN JUNG
Actor Jung Hae-in talks about the charm of whiskey and Balvenie.

106 MY TASTE PAIRING
From fragrances to works of art, whiskey pairings reflect personal tastes.

116 JUST MY SPIRIT
Various subcultures originating from whiskey, such as collecting, sharing, and blending.

120 THE ELEMENTS
5 Essential Ingredients for Whiskey Making

130 BRAND STORY
Balvenie's growth story, pioneering new paths based on traditional manufacturing methods and a spirit of experimentation.

136 INTERVIEW: ALICE MCSHERRY, GEMMA PORTER
Global Marketing Manager Alice McSherry and Global Brand Manager Gemma Porter share The Balvenie's internal and external culture.

140 SHIFT IN GENERATIONS
Meeting the next three people who will create a new history for Balvenie.

144 ART OF CRAFT
Balvenie's art project that spreads craftsmanship

148 DIGEST
Figures that represent The Balvenie's position in the Scotch whisky industry and the status of its parent company, William Grant & Sons.

151 OUTRO

This is the ninety-third magazine 『B』.

Since the pandemic, I have traveled abroad twice, last year and this year.

Although the tourism industry has returned to normal, the aftereffects of the two-year hiatus still remain.
Many of the restaurants, shops, and convenience facilities that once filled airport arrival halls were closed, empty, or operating at reduced capacity.
Duty-free shops also lacked the same shopping enthusiasm as before.
Still, there was one place that attracted people: the whiskey corner.
You might see someone busily talking on the phone with someone to choose what to buy, or the whole family putting their heads together to check the limit on alcoholic beverages.
While whiskey has certainly been popular before, the current whiskey craze feels more like a yearning for a guaranteed safe haven.
Not only do they offer value as investments, they also provide the fun of collecting and are great for taking the time to indulge in.
Another attractive aspect of whiskey is that it has a relatively low barrier to entry compared to watches, furniture, or art.

Even when looking at whiskey within the mainstream market, its value feels different.
In particular, I think whiskey is the alcoholic beverage that stands out the most in terms of its brand identity.
The complex and meticulous manufacturing process requires a high investment cost, but compared to other mainstream products, it secures expertise, and the perception that quality is proportional to time naturally satisfies the sense of rarity.

Also, because it has a quality that makes it better enjoyed alone rather than paired with food, it is suitable as a subject for absolute evaluation.
While beer and wine may excel at gaining popularity, whiskey holds the upper hand when it comes to gaining recognition for its unique value, which is the ultimate goal of many brands.

In Scotland, the home of Scotch whisky, whisky makers are like a tribe.
Makers with a tradition spanning over 100 years, or even close to it, each have a story to tell, and at the heart of those stories are people who have been involved in whiskey making for decades.


The Balvenie, a single malt whiskey brand introduced by 『B』, has also been a family business in the Speyside region of Scotland since 1892.
What makes them stand out among the many 'whiskey tribes' in Scotland is that they not only inherit the authenticity of whiskey, but also constantly improve its perfection based on a spirit of experimentation.
The Balvenie's unique maturation technique, which has influenced not only Scotch whisky but also the distillery industry, was born and evolved through this spirit of experimentation.
From barley fields to bottling, the entire whiskey-making process is carried out in-house, and this is done in the context of R&D rather than protecting tradition.
The experimental spirit that Balvenie speaks of is far from a strategy for gaining immediate recognition for its value.

From whiskies that have been maturing in a warehouse somewhere since the early 1960s to those who have attained the position of Malt Master after a 10-year apprenticeship, to special editions released as a set over a five-year period.
Everything at Balvenie revolves around patience rather than impatience.
David Stewart, the legendary Malt Master of The Balvenie, describes the maturation process of whisky, which he has been immersed in for over 60 years, as still “a complex and largely unexplored area.”
If quickly controlling changes and variables is the key to business efficiency, then the attitude of those who view mistakes and errors as new clues through waiting is no exaggeration, resembling pure academics. This intrigues me even more deeply into the quiet and profound universe of the many creators who turn time to their advantage.

Editor-in-Chief Park Eun-seong