History
Ballantine's Scotch whisky can trace its heritage back to 1827, when farmer's son George Ballantine set up a small grocery store in Edinburgh supplying a range of whiskies to his clientele. [7] In 1865, George delegated the store's operation to his eldest son, Archibald, while he opened a larger establishment in Glasgow. Here he concentrated on the wine and spirit trade, [8] catering to clients that apparently included the Hindu Royal Family. [9] He also began to create his own blends. These inspired additional demand, drawing second son, George junior, into the business. Trading as "George Ballantine and Son Ltd", the firm added a bonded warehouse and began to export their Scotch. George senior retired in 1881 and died 10 years later at age 83 with George junior taking over. [8]
Business thrived under George junior. The company was awarded a Royal Warrant by Queen Victoria in 1895. In 1919, the family sold out profitably to the firm of Barclay and McKinlay. Building on the reputation and goodwill of the "Ballantine's" name, the new owners focused on developing it as a brand for their blended whiskies. [8] When increasing resources were needed to compete fully in the growing world market, the internationally experienced Canadian distilling concern of Hiram Walker Gooderham & Worts acquired Ballantine's in 1937. [10] The next year the company received the Grant of Heraldic Arms featured on their bottles, [8] recognising George Ballantine & Son as an "incorporation noble on the Noblesse of Scotland". [11]
The new owners' first task was to secure fillings, to which end the Miltonduff and Glenburgie Distilleries were purchased, and a massive new grain distillery – the largest in Europe – built at Dumbarton. [12] During the 1960s, Ballantine's expanded its focus to continental European markets, which were then emerging as significant new destinations for Scotch whisky. By 1965, the brand had established a strong commercial presence in the region and subsequently adjusted its domestic operations to prioritise growing overseas demand. [13]
Strong distribution and the popularity of Scotch whisky in the mid-1980s were key influencers in growth. Ballantine's was named the number one brand in Europe and the third largest in the world in 1986 with the oldest product Ballantine's Finest. In 1987, the company became part of the global beverage conglomerate Allied Domecq. [14]
In 2002, the large Dumbarton distillery was mothballed, and production shifted to the Strathclyde Grain distillery in the Gorbals of Glasgow. [8] [15] In 2005, Ballantine's was acquired by Pernod Ricard. [8] Ballantine's still maintain a large bonded warehouse complex in Dumbarton East and a bottling plant to the North of the town. [15]
In 2006, Sandy Hyslop was appointed as Ballantine's Master Blender – the 5th Master Blender in Ballantine's 180-year history. [16]
Korean media in 2010 described Ballantine's—including its 17-, 21- and 30-year-old expressions—as among the most popular imported spirits in the country. [17] According to Pernod Ricard Korea, Ballantine's was reported in 2019 to be the most-consumed Scotch whisky in South Korea over a three-year period, with a market share of roughly 28%. [18]
In November 2024, Ballantine's released its first single grain expression, named Ballantine's Single Distillery. [19]
Golf
Ballantine's association with golf started in 1960 when the first Ballantine's Tournament took place at Wentworth Club, and since then has sponsored many golf events. [110]
Barclays Scottish Open
In 2007, Ballantine's signed a three-year agreement and became an official sponsor for the Barclays Scottish Open. [113]
BMW Masters (Shanghai)
In 2012, Ballantine's was included as one of the sponsors of the BMW Masters. [115]
Kolon Korea Open
In 2014, Ballantine's entered a three-year sponsorship agreement with the Kolon Korea Open Golf Championship. [116] [111]
Ballantine’s Golf Club
In July 2014, Ballantine's launched the Ballantine's Golf Club, [117] the first online golf club of its kind. [118] World-renowned golfer Ian Poulter was the club's founding captain, [117] followed by Paul McGinley in 2015. [119]
Gaming
The Dota 2 International 2023
Ballantine's partnered with Tundra, an Esports team, for The Dota 2 International 2023. [120] The brand was the Official Spirit Partner [120] of the game's tenth anniversary. [121] Ballantine's released two limited-edition Ballantine's Finest x Dota 2 bottles. The labels on these bottles featured the Dota 2 brand and characters including Juggernaut, Lina, Monkey King, Marci and Brewmaster. This partnership was exclusive to China. [121]
Borderlands
In April 2022, Ballantine's announced a partnership with the video game series, Borderlands. [122] The brand “hired” the video game character Mad Moxxi as Chief Galactic Expansion Officer to launch Ballantine's in the gaming universe. [123] As part of this partnership, Ballantine's released a limited edition bottling, the Ballantine's Finest Moxxi's Bar Edition whisky, with a label depicting Moxxi and her characteristic style. [124]
True Music Icons
Ballantine's has released True Music Icons, a limited-edition series that pays homage to some of the world-renowned music artists and bands. [125]
Gorillaz
In October 2025, Ballantine's released the Ballantine's Finest Gorillaz limited edition commemorating 25 years since the band's formation. [126] The bottle design features a never-before-seen illustration of the four fictional band members, 2-D, Murdoc Niccals, Noodle and Russel Hobbs, created especially for this collaboration. [126] [127]
KISS
Ballantine's Finest KISS limited edition whisky released in October 2025 is a tribute to the American rock band KISS. The release comes just before KISS's return to stage at KISS Kruise: Landlocked In Vegas, which marks the 50th anniversary of the KISS Army fan club. [128] The limited edition bottle features artwork based on the band's 1976 Destroyer album cover. [126]
Elton John
In September 2024, Ballantine's honoured Elton John with a limited edition of the Ballantine's Finest whisky as part of the True Music Icons. [129] The bottle design is inspired by his live performance at Dodger Stadium in 1975. [130] The holographic version of his ‘E’ star logo reflects the artwork on his Diamonds Greatest Hits collection. [131]
John Lennon
Ballantine's paid tribute to John Lennon with the Ballantine's John Lennon limited edition in September 2024. [132] The bottle design is inspired by his famous self-portrait, official logo and iconography. [133]
AC/DC
In September 2023, Ballantine's launched the AC/DC Limited Edition whisky as a tribute to the iconic rock band in its 50th anniversary year. This limited edition of Ballantine's Finest whisky showcased the band's thunderbolt logo in neon red. [134] [135]
Queen
In September 2023, Ballantine's released the Ballantine's Finest Queen limited edition whisky to pay tribute to the legendary British band, Queen. The bottle is inspired by the band's iconic Greatest Hits II album with the crest designed by Freddie Mercury. [125] [136]
Ballantine’s True Music Fund
In 2021, Ballantine's introduced the True Music Fund, an annual six-figure funding plan for music initiatives worldwide to encourage grassroots change. By the end of 2025, the initiative will have supported more than 30 music collectives and committed £500,000 in funding. In 2025, Ballantine's offered £100,000 to eight recipients along with mentorship from an established industry expert. The ten recipients of the True Music Fund in 2023 were Femme Africa, iMullar, El Bloque, Santuri East Africa, The Other Radio, Jokkoo Collective, Femmes and Thems, Anti-Mass, Feminine Hi-Fi, Africa Rising Music Conference. [137] [138]
Stay True/Limited Editions
RZA
In 2023, Ballantine's collaborated with RZA, Wu-Tang Clan frontman, coinciding with the 50th anniversary of Hip Hop and the 30th anniversary of Wu-Tang Clan's debut album, Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers) . [139] [140] [141]
As part of its Stay True lifestyle, Ballantine's and RZA released a series of “drops”, one of them being a limited-edition Ballantine's x RZA Crosley record player and a Montero Bluetooth speaker. [139] [141] [140] The C6 player was designed by RZA and featured the iconic “Wu” hand sign. [141]
Ballantine's also released the Ballantine's 7 American Barrel x RZA Limited Edition whisky. [142] [143] The artwork on the bottle incorporated a poem written by RZA on his trip to Scotland and also included the Wu-Tang Clan hands motif. [142]
The partnership expanded beyond whisky into fashion and food collaborations. Ballantine's and RZA worked with Japanese streetwear brand, NEIGHBORHOOD, on a bespoke capsule collection of apparel and accessories. [144] [145] They also partnered with Flying Goose to create a whisky-inspired vegan hot sriracha sauce. [144] [146]
J. Demsky
In November 2022, Ballantine's released the Ballantine's x J. Demsky limited edition bottle to mark its collaboration with J. Demsky, a Spanish visual artist. [147] [148] The bottle was designed by J. Demsky's in his signature style with trademark technicolour patterns and disruptive shapes. [149]
Shawna X
In 2021, Ballantine's collaborated with New York-based visual artist Shawna X and released the Ballantine's Finest Shawna X limited edition whisky with Shawna X's bold and colourful design. [150] [151]
Ballantine's also launched a global mural project in partnership with Shawna X and local artists in Spanish and Brazilian cities, aiming to “bring joy and colour back to communities”. [152] The campaign also introduced a grant fund as a post-pandemic support to independent bars, event spaces and nightlife venues. [150] [151] [152] [153]
Joshua Vides
In 2020, Ballantine's released the Ballantine's Finest Joshua Vides Limited Edition designed by Californian artist Joshua Vides. [154] The bottle and gift tin were designed with Vides’ signature monochromatic style. [155] [154] As part of the collaboration, Vides also created a briefcase and tumbler set inspired by Ballantine's rectangular bottle shape and its Prohibition-era history. [156] The launch was supported by a series of black and white spaces where events and workshops were hosted at pop-ups in cities including Poland and China. [154] [155]
Felipe Pantone
In 2018, Ballantine's partnered with Felipe Pantone, an Argentinian-Spanish street artist, as part of the Ballantine's True Music Series. Ballantine's released limited-editions of its Ballantine's Finest and Ballantine's 12 Years Old that had been designed by Pantone with distinctive geometric patterns, classic arches, vivid colours and holograms. [157]
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