George Ballantine, son of a farmer, set up a small grocery store in 1827 to supply a range of whiskies. Finding success he delegated the operation of the store to his son in 1865 to open a larger establishment in Glasgow and begin creating his own blends. His second son, George junior, took over in 1881, under whom the business thrived and in 1937 the company received the Grant of Heraldic Arms featured on their bottles, recognising George Ballantine & Son as an "incorporation noble on the Noblesse of Scotland"
Ballantine's was named the number one brand in Europe and the third largest in the world in 1986 with the oldest product Ballantine's Finest. In Korea, Ballantine's is the leader in the super-premium category with the ever-popular Ballantine's 17. |
