Ballantine's 30-year-old / 40% / 0.7l

George Ballantine died in 1891 and the company passed into the hands of his son George, who quickly brought it to prosperity.

In 1919, George sold the family business to James Barclay and RA McKinlay, who made a fortune selling Ballantine to Americans suffering under the shackles of Prohibition. Canadian corporation Hiram Walker & Sons took over the brand in the mid-1930s and made it one of the most popular whiskies of the century. Ballantine's 30 years old debuted in the 1930s and was the first whisky in this age range offered in the basic range. At the time, it was a move that required planning and securing a sufficient amount of properly aged distillates. Ballantine's 30 years old has won many medals, the latest being gold at the 2016 International Wine & Spirits Competition.

Nose: complex, slightly mineral, damp gravel, drying linen, honey, toffee, apples, oranges, raisins, cinnamon, cloves, oak and a hint of smoke.

Palate : rich and elegant, oranges, grapefruit, mango, sherry-soaked raisins, honey, toffee, cloves, a hint of candied ginger, oak and a fleeting hint of smoke.

Finish : long and quite spicy, cloves, cinnamon, white pepper, honey, dried fruit and a trace of peat.