After meticulously nosing and selecting the perfect casks, world-renowned Malt Master, David Stewart, today announces the release of ‘Batch Three’ of his award-winning Signature single malt whisky.

First created by David Stewart in 2008 to mark his 45th year in the whisky industry, The Balvenie Signature 12 Year Old is a limited release, single malt Scotch whisky. Produced in small, numbered batches, each cask is hand selected by David Stewart to ensure he achieves Signature’s unique character.

A 12 Year Old like The Balvenie’s better-known whisky, DoubleWood, Signature has its own very distinct taste. Each bottle carries its own batch number, and has been handcrafted by David Stewart and his team of craftsmen at The Balvenie Distillery.

The unique nature of The Balvenie Signature 12 Year Old was achieved by David through marrying the three most traditional cask types: first fill bourbon, refill bourbon and sherry.

From the sherry butts comes rich fruit and spiciness; the bourbon barrels convey subtle vanilla oak and layers of honey, while the refill casks impart delicate, sweet notes and smoothness. The result of this union is a perfect balance of spice and subtle oak, deliciously enveloped in The Balvenie’s honeyed character.

David Stewart comments: "With Signature, we wanted to create a 12 year-old single malt whisky that embodied the spirit of The Balvenie. To do this, I selected the three casks types with the strongest tradition and heritage at The Balvenie in order to produce our Signature ‘marriage’.

“What we've ended up with is a complex single malt with many layers of taste and structure, one that really demonstrates the magic of the wood – making it a lovely addition to The Balvenie collection. What I find exciting is the finishing and the variations that can be achieved even among liquids of similar ages. For instance, The Balvenie DoubleWood, like Signature, is a 12 year-old and yet the taste and character of each is completely different.

“I have been in the world of whisky for over 45 years and yet every year, I discover something new – it’s a wonderful journey of discovery.”

The Balvenie Signature Batch Three will go on sale in the UK from mid-May 2010 and in the off-trade will have a recommended retail price of £31.49.