Dining

Balvenie returns with another exciting product in Tun 1509

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Balvenie definitely went out on top with its Tun 1401 series, and it hopes to start another excellent line with Tun 1509.

When you close your eyes and dream of things that represent the finer things in life, I’m betting that single malt Scotch is one of them. It’s hardly ever cheap, but its price is usually worth every elegant, luscious sip. And for my palate, there’s no question as to the best buy on the market for the money: Balvenie’s Tun 1401.

At least it was. After nine batches, Balvenie has called it quits on its ultra-popular (and now ultra-rare) release. (If you have an unopened bottle, congratulations: You have one of the Holy Grails of whiskey.)

But fret not: Tun 1401 may be over, but Balvenie will soon be releasing Tun 1509, based on the same science as 1401, but produced in larger quantities to meet demand.

Tun 1401 was the brainchild of Malt Master David Stewart, marrying a variety of amazing Balvenie whiskies (some of which were upwards of 50 years old) into a large vat (or “tun”). The new Tun 1509 uses a vat four times the size of that used for Tun 1401, and uses 42 of Balvenie’s finest casks.

Balvenie hopes to have it on shelves everywhere by mid-October. There’s more than just a name change, however: Tun 1509, while more widely available, will be considerably more expensive than its counterpart, retailing for $350 (Tun 1401 retailed for $250).

But take it from one of the brand’s biggest fans: If this Tun is anything remotely like the previous whiskey, don’t hesitate. Whether for personal consumption or as part of a collection, this is still going to be one of the best bargains in the whiskey world.

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Ken Miller

Ken Miller is the editor of Las Vegas Magazine, having previously served as associate editor at Las Vegas Weekly, assistant ...

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