Blended Scotch whisky · Scotland · since 1827

Ballantine's

The Scottish blend with the coat of arms, from the Finest to the 10 Years. Everything about its flavour, the varieties, how to drink it and the glass that goes with it.

Blended Scotch40% alcoholDumbarton, ScotlandHoney, apple & vanilla
NIX18 - No 18, no alcohol
Bottle of Ballantine's Finest 70 cl
40%Finest · 70 cl
What is Ballantine's?

Europe's best-selling Scotch

Ballantine's began in 1827 as George Ballantine's grocery shop in Edinburgh, where he began blending whiskies for his customers. In 1910, Ballantine's Finest was launched, the blend that made the brand famous. At the heart of every Ballantine's are the Speyside malts Glenburgie and Miltonduff, complemented by dozens of other malt and grain whiskies.

Ballantine's Finest is light, smooth and fruity, with honey, apple and a hint of smoke. It is Europe's best-selling Scotch whisky and the world's second-best-selling after Johnnie Walker. Alongside the Finest, there are the 10 Years and older blends of up to 30 years, as well as special editions with AC/DC and Elton John. Ballantine's is part of Pernod Ricard.

In brief

TypeBlended Scotch whisky
Alcohol40%
OriginDumbarton, Scotland · since 1827
BaseSpeyside malts Glenburgie and Miltonduff plus grain whisky
TasteLight, honey, apple, vanilla, hint of smoke
GlassTumbler on the rocks; highball glass with cola or ginger ale
Types

What types of Ballantine's are there?

Bottle of Ballantine's Finest 70 cl

Ballantine's Finest

40% · 70 cl

The classic since 1910: light, smooth and fruity, with honey and a hint of smoke. The blend for cola, ginger ale and on the rocks.

Best for: on the rocks, highball, whisky and cola
Bottle of Ballantine's 10 Years 70 cl

Ballantine's 10 Years

40% · 10 years

Aged for at least ten years: more mature and smoother than the Finest, with honey, flowers and sweet oak.

Best for: neat, on the rocks
View Ballantine's 10 Years →
Bottle of Ballantine's Finest 1 litre

Ballantine's Finest 1 litre

40% · 100 cl

The litre bottle for the home bar. Better value per glass if you often serve whisky and cola.

Best for: home bar, parties
Bottle of Ballantine's Finest 1.5 litre

Ballantine's Finest 1.5 litre

40% · 150 cl

The large bottle for the pub, clubhouse or a large party.

Best for: club, large party
Bottle of Ballantine's Finest AC/DC Edition 70 cl

Ballantine's AC/DC Edition

40% · limited edition

The finest in a bottle with the AC/DC logo. The same whisky, a different look: a gift for rock lovers.

Best for: gifts, collectors
Not sure?

For mixing, the Finest is more than enough; for drinking neat, the 10 Years is worth the money.

To the cocktails →
What does Ballantine's taste like?

Light, smooth, and fruity with a hint of smoke

Nose

Honey & apple

Soft honey, red apple, vanilla, and a lightly floral note, with a very subtle hint of smoke in the background.

Palate

Smooth and light

Smooth and rounded, with milk chocolate, apple, and a light spiciness. Approachable and easy to drink.

Finish

Fresh and medium-length

A fresh, slightly sweet finish with a hint of smoke and oak. Longer and smoother in the 10 Years.

Sweet 3/5
Fruity 3/5
Spicy 2/5
Smoky 1/5

Flavor profile of Ballantine's Finest. The 10 Years is rounder and sweeter, with more oak.

How to drink it

Three ways to drink Ballantine's

Ballantine's Finest is a blended whisky: on the rocks, with cola, or in a highball. The 10 Years can also be enjoyed neat.

On the rocks

50 ml Ballantine's over a few ice cubes in a tumbler. Simple and refreshing; the ice makes the Finest even smoother.

Glass: tumbler →

Ballantine's cola or ginger ale

50 ml Ballantine's with 150 ml cola or ginger ale in a long drink glass full of ice, with a lemon wedge. In Spain and South Korea, where Ballantine's is hugely popular, this is the standard.

Glass: long drink glass →

Highball with soda

50 ml Ballantine's with 150 ml soda and a lemon zest in a long drink glass with plenty of ice. Dry, light, and refreshing: the way a light blend is best enjoyed.

Highball recipe →
From the webshop

The right glass for Ballantine's

A sturdy tumbler for whisky on the rocks, a long drink glass for whisky and cola and the highball, and a tasting glass for the 10 Years. These are the glasses we recommend ourselves.

Delivered 100% breakage-free
Onis Icon Tumbler
For drinking on the rocks · 6 pieces

Onis Icon Tumbler

Set of 6 · 35 cl · heavy base, classic whisky glass
€ 33,95View
Onis New Era Tumbler
For drinking on the rocks · 12 pieces

Onis New Era Tumbler

Set of 12 · 35 cl · sleek, stackable hospitality glass
€ 58,95View
Arcoroc Islande Highball Glass
For whisky and cola

Arcoroc Islande Highball Glass

Set of 6 · 33 cl · tempered glass, the affordable all-rounder
€ 14,95View
Royal Leerdam Sniffer tasting glass
For the 10 Years · neat

Royal Leerdam Sniffer tasting glass

Set of 6 · 18 cl · nosing glass for drinking neat
€ 24,95View
Frequently asked questions

Everything you still wanted to know about Ballantine's

Can't find your question here? Check out our cocktail recipes or contact us.

To the cocktail recipes →
What percentage of alcohol is in Ballantine's?
Ballantine's Finest contains 40% alcohol, as do the 10 Years and the older blends. The special editions such as AC/DC and Elton John are also 40%.
What kind of whisky is Ballantine's?
A blended Scotch: a mix of dozens of malt and grain whiskies from all over Scotland, with the Speyside malts Glenburgie and Miltonduff at its core. The Finest is the entry-level blend; above it are the 10, 12, 17, 21 and 30 Years.
Ballantine's or Johnnie Walker?
Both are 40% Scotch blends and rank number one and two worldwide. Ballantine's Finest is lighter, sweeter and fruitier, with very little smoke. Johnnie Walker Red Label is spicier and smokier. For whisky and cola or a highball, Ballantine's is the smoother choice.
Is Ballantine's suitable for drinking neat?
The Finest is mainly made for mixing, but it is smooth enough to drink on the rocks. If you want to drink it neat, choose the 10 Years: more mature, rounder and with more depth, for a few euros more.
Where is Ballantine's made?
The blend is assembled and bottled in Dumbarton, near Glasgow. The whiskies in the blend come from all over Scotland; the key malts are Glenburgie and Miltonduff from Speyside. Ballantine's is part of Pernod Ricard.
What is special about the AC/DC and Elton John editions?
Nothing special about the whisky: it's the regular Finest. The bottles are limited editions featuring the band's or artist's logo, intended as a gift or collector's item. Ballantine's has been releasing these 'True Music' editions for a few years.