The Balvenie Distillery in Speyside Scotland has become the first UK producer to become a supporting member of non-profit organisation, Slow Food.

As an official Slow Food supporter, the traditional Speyside distillery will join forces with Slow Food in the UK in a series of events to showcase traditional production methods and the wider benefits of the ‘slow’ approach to food and drink production and appreciation. The Balvenie, is the only remaining single malt whisky distillery in Scotland to grow its own barley, malt in its own traditional floor maltings, still employ a team of coopers to tend all its oak casks and a coppersmith to maintain its stills. It was the distillery’s commitment to retaining rare whisky making crafts that brought the Speyside distillery to the attention of Slow Food - a non-profit organization that campaigns to raise awareness of the disappearance of local food traditions and support small scale food producers.

“We’re very proud of our craftsmen at The Balvenie but we’re not about maintaining tradition for tradition’s sake”, says Malt Master David Stewart, who last year celebrated his 46th year in whisky making. Our support for Slow Food is about promoting respect for traditional production methods that, in our case, are what create The Balvenie’s uniquely honeyed character and make our single malt what it is”.

Says Catherine Gazzoli of Slow Food, “It’s hard to think of a product that better embodies the principles of ‘slow’ than single malt Scotch whisky. It’s a real test of patience, skill and commitment to your craft, qualities too often forgotten in today’s world of mass production. It’s our hope that The Balvenie’s partnership with Slow Food will help strengthen the growing movement in support of producers who retain these all-important ingredients of time, care and craftsmanship; so they are not lost forever.”