DFS Group (DFS) has become the first retailer in the world to launch The Balvenie Fifty, a rare collection by The Balvenie Distillery.

 

After the exclusive launch event on September 14 in Singapore at ION Orchard’s Sky Bar, the following day, DFS hosted its unveiling at Terminal 3 (T3) of Singapore Changi Airport (Changi Airport) and invited The Balvenie Malt Master David Stewart to join the event in its T3 concession.

 

There, DFS will keep The Balvenie Fifty on display and offer six bottles of the rare single malt for sale.

 

The Balvenie Fifty, a single malt laid down in 1962 and bottled in 2012, marks the culmination of half a century of achievement by David Stewart.

 

[Above: (L-R) Patricia Sim (Senior Promotions Manager, DFS Group), David Stewart (Balvenie Malt Master, William Grant & Sons Ltd), Brooke Supernaw (Vice President, Wine and Spirits, DFS Group) and Scott Hamilton (Director – Travel Retail Asia Pacific, William Grant & Sons Ltd)]

 

ONLY 88 AVAILABLE

Matured in a European oak sherry hogshead and bottled in a custom-made hand blown glass bottle and packaged within a wooden case created by Scottish craftsman Sam Chinnery from “forty-nine rings of seven Scottish-grown timbers”.

 

Among the most exclusive of single malt whiskies, only 88 bottles are available worldwide at a recommended retail price of £20,000 (approximately RMB 205,000).

 

In July, DFS featured three bottles of a limited edition Macallan 55 Year-Old Scotch whisky. Earlier this year, the Group also toured the collection from Master of Spirits II – which included 84 spirits, wine and champagnes by 50 of the world’s leading brands — to the very same location.

 

“We are honoured to have the distinction of being the first retailer in the world to launch this extremely rare and exquisite spirit by Balvenie,” said Brooke Supernaw, DFS Group Vice President of Wine and Spirits.

 

‘EXPERTS’ IN LUXURY TRAVEL RETAIL

“At DFS, we take pride in our expertise in the luxury travel retail sector. Our deep knowledge and understanding of our traveling clientele, cultivated over half a century of experience, has allowed us to continually improve our product offerings to provide customers with exclusive items such as this outstanding single malt Scotch whisky at their preferred locations.”

 

David Stewart, Malt Master of The Balvenie Distillery — who joined the distillery in 1962 and has nosed nearly 400,000 whisky casks in the past 50 years — said, “Cask 5576 and I have shared the last five decades together at The Balvenie Distillery. Single malt making is as much art and alchemy as it is an exact science: The interaction between wood and maturing whisky means that each cask, particularly one like this, will produce something entirely unique.”

 

“Changi Airport is honoured to be the first airport in the world to feature The Balvenie Fifty,” said Ivy Wong, Senior Vice President, Airside Concessions, Changi Airport Group. It is a privilege for us to showcase such a prestigious brand, and we look forward to more such fulfilling partnerships with our retail partner DFS Group.”