THE BALVENIE UNVEILS ITS OLDEST WHISKY WITH THE 1931 COLLECTION

The Balvenie has revealed its oldest whisky to date, an Eighty-Eight-Year-Old Single Malt distilled in 1931 and bottled in 2019. Forming the centrepiece of The 1931 Collection, the release is joined by two younger expressions and a collaboration with artist Daniel Arsham, debuting at Frieze Seoul through an immersive performance.

The Balvenie has marked a historic milestone in Scotch whisky with the unveiling of its oldest liquid ever, an Eighty-Eight-Year-Old Single Malt distilled in 1931 and bottled in 2019 under the guidance of Malt Master Kelsey McKechnie. This extraordinary release, drawn from a cask laid down nearly a century ago, represents not only a triumph of time and patience but also a rare glimpse into the distillery’s enduring craftsmanship.  

The Eighty-Eight-Year-Old forms the centrepiece of The 1931 Collection, a trio of limited-edition whiskies that pay homage to the year of its distillation. Alongside the venerable expression, the collection includes a Fifteen-Year-Old crafted entirely from home malted and home grown barley, and a Twelve-Year-Old made from 100% home malted barley. Together, they embody The Balvenie’s commitment to tradition, provenance and the artistry of whisky-making.  

To elevate the release beyond the glass, The Balvenie has collaborated with acclaimed contemporary artist Daniel Arsham. Known for his sculptural works that reimagine objects as time-worn relics, Arsham has created a bespoke form to house the Eighty-Eight-Year-Old liquid. His design transforms the whisky into a cultural artefact, a vessel that speaks to both permanence and decay, echoing the passage of nearly nine decades.  

The debut of The 1931 Collection is being staged in partnership with Frieze Seoul, where Arsham directs an immersive, sensorial performance. This presentation seeks to capture the essence of time as both creative force and destructive element, aligning with The Balvenie’s philosophy that whisky is shaped by patience, craft and the slow unfolding of character. Visitors are invited to experience the collection not only through taste but through sight, sound and atmosphere, reinforcing the idea that whisky can transcend its category to become a multisensory art form.  

For collectors and enthusiasts, the Eighty-Eight-Year-Old represents a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to encounter a whisky of unparalleled age and rarity. Yet The 1931 Collection is equally about storytelling, weaving together heritage, innovation and artistic collaboration. By uniting McKechnie’s mastery with Arsham’s vision, The Balvenie has created a release that is as much about cultural resonance as it is about liquid excellence.  

The launch underscores The Balvenie’s position at the forefront of Scotch whisky, where tradition is honoured but never static. With The 1931 Collection, the distillery invites the world to reflect on the power of time, the beauty of craft and the enduring allure of whisky as both drink and artefact.