As the son of a farmer, George Ballantine opened a small shop in Edinburgh in 1827, initially selling wine, tea, and cigars. From these modest beginnings grew Ballantine's, one of the world's best-selling blended Scotch whiskies – for many fans, synonymous with Scotch itself.

In 1895, the company was honoured with a Royal Warrant as official supplier to the British royal family. Today, Ballantine's belongs to Chivas Brothers, a subsidiary of Pernod Ricard, and is the second best-selling Scotch brand in the world after Johnnie Walker. From Ballantine's Finest to its aged expressions, you will find the right bottle for every occasion in our selection.

How did a small shop become a global brand?

In 1827, George Ballantine, son of a farmer, opened his first shop in Edinburgh, initially trading in wine, tea, and spirits. The business flourished and was later passed on to his son, who expanded it with a branch in Glasgow in 1867 – this is also where the creation of the company's own blended whiskies began. In 1895, the firm was granted the great honour of becoming official supplier to the British royal family (a "Royal Warrant") – a distinction that lastingly cemented the brand's reputation.

Which malts go into the Ballantine's blend?

Around 50 different single malts go into the Ballantine's recipe, though the three most important come from the Miltonduff, Glenburgie, and Glentauchers distilleries. In 1935, the brand was sold to the Canadian group Hiram Walker, which acquired two of these key distilleries, Miltonduff and Glenburgie, in the process. In 1987, Ballantine's passed to Allied Domecq, and finally to Pernod Ricard in 2005, where the brand has since been run by subsidiary Chivas Brothers – alongside Chivas Regal, the group's second major blended Scotch brand.

What does Ballantine's taste like?

This soft, approachable blended Scotch impresses with notes of vanilla and coconut; older bottlings add honey, toffee, and fine spice.

The most popular bottling at a glance

1. Ballantine's Finest
The brand's accessible entry-level blend.
Taste: Soft, with vanilla and a subtle coconut note.
Serving suggestion: Ideal neat, on ice, or as a highball base.

Facts and figures

Founded: 1827 by George Ballantine, Edinburgh. Royal Warrant: since 1895. Key distilleries: Miltonduff, Glenburgie, Glentauchers. Group: Chivas Brothers (Pernod Ricard, since 2005).