The Balvenie and Daniel Arsham at Huashan: the 1931 exhibition, sculpture and tasting fees

The Balvenie and Daniel Arsham’s 1931 exhibition runs from October 24 to November 4,2026 at West 5-1 and West 5-2 in Taipei’s Huashan 1914 Creative Park. Its focus is the brand’s 88-year-old whisky, the sculpture Arsham created for it, and a route connecting barley, floor malting and tasting. Plan around both the exhibition’s opening hours and the sessions requiring reservations: classic tastings cost NT$200 per person; brand-ambassador guided tastings cost NT$600.

What 88 years actually measures

The series looks back to 1931. The brand’s global announcement states that the 88-year-old whisky was distilled in 1931 and bottled in 2019. Its stated age therefore describes maturation before bottling; it does not keep increasing with the date of a 2026 news report. Taiwan’s unveiling took place on October 23, while the public exhibition started on October 24. Arsham’s attendance at the unveiling does not mean he will be present throughout the exhibition.

Time takes a sculptural form

Arsham translated his longstanding interest in traces of time and changing materials into a sculpture surrounding the 88-year-old bottle. The brand’s account describes eight flowing layers, an oak structure recalling the years of maturation, and copper taken from a retired still. Consider the bottle alongside the surrounding layers and materials: the age becomes more than a number on a label, taking the form of an object whose depth and surfaces invite closer comparison.

Product imagery and the Taipei exhibition offer different views

The images here are official collection photographs showing the sculpture’s front, another side of its structure and the 12-year-old whisky; they are not photographs taken by TIDEZINE at the Taipei venue. The Taiwan exhibition’s official introduction separately describes natural soundscapes, a barley-themed space, contemporary dance, lighting and music. An archaeological handbook invites visitors to follow clues through the production story.

Opening hours are not the same as session times

Huashan lists weekday opening hours of 16:00-20:00 and weekend hours of 13:00-19:00. The brand’s release lists classic tastings at 16:00,17:00,18:00 and 19:00 on weekdays, and 13:00 through 18:00 on weekends, hourly. Ambassador-guided tastings are listed at 18:00 and 19:00 on weekdays and 17:00 and 18:00 on weekends. Some times overlap, so do not assume they refer to the same ticket. Recheck the experience type, date and remaining places before travelling.

What the NT$200 and NT$600 fees mean

Announced fees are NT$200 for a classic tasting and NT$600 for an ambassador-guided tasting. The brand says the activity fee can be fully offset against an onsite purchase of Balvenie whisky. That does not mean a ticket includes a bottle, or that every session includes the 88-year-old whisky. Use the event page linked by the venue and check payment, cancellation, session eligibility and the actual contents offered at booking.

The 12-year-old release is separate from the 88-year-old display

The 1931 Collection 12-Year-Old, introduced alongside the Taiwan exhibition, is a 700 ml single malt Scotch whisky at 47.5% ABV with a suggested Taiwan retail price of NT$2,500 and limited distribution through selected outlets. These specifications belong to the 12-year-old release, not the 88-year-old display bottle, and do not guarantee stock at every shop.

Three checks before your visit

Choose a classic or ambassador-guided tasting, check the relevant weekday or weekend opening hours, and then look for a suitable reservation. To explore Arsham’s material language, follow the sculpture’s layers; to explore production, connect barley, floor malting and time. Participation and tasting are subject to the event’s age-eligibility rules. Do not drink and drive. Drinking alcohol is prohibited for anyone under 18 in Taiwan.