Ballantine’s has revealed the third 40 Year Old in its Masterclass collection, a series that celebrates the skills and knowledge passed down through generations of master blenders.
This third release, coined The Moment, pays homage to the relationship between former master blender Jack Goudy and his successor Sandy Hyslop. Goudy, the third master blender for Ballantine’s, taught Hyslop how to decipher exactly when a cask is ready for blending.
Hyslop said: “Crafting a whisky of this age is an exercise in patience, but The Moment speaks to something even more profound: The precise instance when a whisky reaches its absolute peak. It’s about recognising that perfect harmony amidst thousands of casks, a skill Goudy taught me.”
The release comes at a particularly poignant time for Hyslop, who announced he would retire at the end of 2025. He will be replaced by Kevin Balmforth, who has been working on the company’s blending team for 25 years.
That makes this Ballantine’s 40 Year Old one of Hyslop’s final blends as master distiller, although it’s likely his influence will continue for several years yet. Hyslop will continue as master blender emeritus and will continue to work with Balmforth as an advisor.
On his successor, Hyslop told The Spirits Business: “He knows his stuff, and he knows what’s required of him. I am supremely confident that he’ll be a firm hand on the tiller moving forward.”
We have not sampled the 40 Year Old, but notes from the distillery say its rich character is derived from Miltonduff, a cornerstone single malt in most Ballantine’s blends.
The bottle comes in a hand-finished wood veneer cabinet with artwork designed by Scottish artist Kyla McCallum.
Ballantine’s 40 Year Old Masterclass Collection: Chapter Three ‘The Moment’ will be available for purchase globally from November 2025 at an RSP of $13,000.
