The Balvenie Launches Nationwide Journey of Rare Craft Discovery

NEW YORK, March 9, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- The Balvenie, the world's most handcrafted Single Malt Scotch Whisky, announces today the launch of the Balvenie Rare Craft Roadshow – a nationwide search for the craftsmen and artisans across America who maintain a dedication to the practice and preservation of traditional crafts.  Part trans-American road trip and part voyage of discovery, The Balvenie Rare Craft Roadshow is a celebration of craftsmanship that will travel from state to state, discovering and honoring the people who share the Balvenie's commitment to craftsmanship, documenting every step in a Web series and eventual documentary film.

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20110309/NY61678 )

As a fifth-generation family owned distillery, the exceptional quality of The Balvenie stems from its commitment to retain and nurture the high level of hand craftsmanship no longer employed by other malt whisky producers. Starting this March, The Balvenie Ambassadors Andrew Weir and Nicholas Pollacchi will travel the length and breadth of the United States to seek out and honor artisans who share their enthusiasm for all things made with skill and passion.  Traveling from city to city in a suitably handcrafted Morgan Car, the pair will visit the workshops, studios, and stores where rare crafts are being kept alive, learning more about the craftsmen and their respective crafts along the way.

From brewers, vintners and cheese makers, to apothecaries, tailors, bicycle makers and all points between, The Balvenie Rare Craft Roadshow will discover and celebrate the burgeoning community of like-minded American artisans, giving craftsmen the recognition they are due, in the form of wide exposure.  In addition to being featured on a dedicated website and in a nationwide print campaign, craftsmen will also have a chance to be honored at special celebratory events and featured in the dedicated Web video series and resulting documentary, charting this unique journey and the skilled characters encountered along the way.  

"We are thrilled to begin our journey in search of the best craftsmen that this nation has to offer and cannot wait to see what we uncover," commented Andrew Weir, Eastern USA Ambassador for The Balvenie. "The Balvenie is unique in that nowhere else will you find a distillery that still grows its own barley, malts in its own traditional malting floor, employs coopers to tend every cask, a coppersmith to maintain the stills, and a malt master to ensure that the resulting spirit is consistently excellent. We realize this approach may not be as economical or as profitable as it could be, but as a family-owned distillery, we do it because we can, and because we know it's the best way to ensure quality throughout the whisky making process. We want to recognize those who feel the same way about their respective crafts."

"We are passionate about the need to preserve and practice the art of craftsmanship, and The Balvenie Rare Craft Roadshow will bring this passion to life sharing it with those we meet along the way," added Nicholas Pollacchi, Western USA Ambassador for The Balvenie. "We hope that The Balvenie Rare Craft Roadshow will ignite the spirit of rare craft across the country, and we look forward to honoring our fellow craftsmen during this epic nationwide journey. We encourage craftsmen to begin signing up immediately."

The Balvenie Rare Craft Roadshow will kick-off in March 2011, when Andrew and Nicholas will launch their voyage of discovery.  To follow the progress of the Road Show, learn more about scheduled stops and nominate craftsmen, interested parties can visit The Balvenie Rare Craft Roadshow Web site at: http://www.balvenie.com/roadshow. The search for the best rare craftsmen in America has officially begun!

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About William Grant & Sons

William Grant & Sons, Ltd. is an independent family-owned distiller headquartered in the United Kingdom and founded by William Grant in 1887. Today, the luxury spirits company is run by the fifth generation of his family and distills some of the world's leading brands of Scotch whisky, including the world's most awarded single malt Glenfiddich®, The Balvenie® range of handcrafted single malts and the world's fourth largest blended Scotch Grant's® as well as other iconic spirits brands such as Hendrick's® Gin, Sailor Jerry® Rum, Tullamore Dew Irish Whiskey and the award-winning Milagro® Tequila.

Among the most recent accolades for the well-awarded company, William Grant & Sons was honored as the "Distiller of the Year" for the fourth time in five years by the prestigious International Spirits Challenge.

Founded in 1964, William Grant & Sons USA is a wholly-owned subsidiary of William Grant & Sons, Ltd. and features one of the fastest growing spirits portfolios in the USA with brands including Glenfiddich, The Balvenie, Hendrick's Gin, Sailor Jerry Rum, Tullamore Dew Irish Whiskey, Milagro Tequila, Stolichnaya Vodka, Grant's, Hudson Whiskey, Clan MacGregor, Reyka Vodka, Solerno Blood Orange Liqueur, Lillet, Licor 43, Art In The Age, The Knot and BOLS cordials. The company has offices in New York City (sales and marketing) and Edison, NJ (bottling and warehouse facilities). For more information on the company and its brands, please visit www.grantusa.com.

SOURCE The Balvenie