Balmenach, we're back again


July 19, 2023

Balmenach, we're back (again)

We just couldn't leave it with that extremely biting 2005 by Cadenhead. I believe this one has better credentials…

Balmenach Distillery (International Beverage Holdings Ltd.)

Balmenach-Glenlivet 14 yo 2004/2019 (49.7%, Cadenhead, Authentic Collection, bourbon hogshead, 210 bottles)

I believe it is always interesting to try whiskies bearing a natural lower strength, as 'something must have happened'. Colour: white wine (a clue?) Nose: holy featherless old crow, this is pure riesling or perhaps Grüner Veltliner. This note could well become one of the shortest I've ever written (don't look so glad.) Mouth: a very tight, but rather petrol-less riesling is back, while someone in Campbeltown may have squeezed half a ton of lemon and lime and poured the resulting juice into this hogshead. Which, you're right, may explain why the strength is this low. Finish: long, very bladey, pretty fantastic. Awesome spearmint in the aftertaste, with even something kind of stalky. Comments: another world after yesterday's last Balmenach.
SGP:561 - 88 points.

Was it really about the lower strength?

Balmenach-Glenlivet 14 yo 2004/2019 (54.9%, Cadenhead, Authentic Collection, bourbon hogshead, 294 bottles)

Indeed, a 5-degree difference is huge in tasting conditions. Colour: white wine. Nose: chalk is back, grist, porridge, apple peel, green melons, grass… But there is also a pleasant vanilla-y roundness. With water: typical mud, white bread, cucumber sandwich (oh the horror in real life, rather nice here), fresh brioche… Mouth (neat): very tight, very chalky, very lemony, very grassy, with rather a lot of green rhubarb and granny smith. With water: a little rounder, with ripe small berries, white currants, gooseberries… Finish: medium, more on lemons and a little white pepper. Comments: nowhere as thrilling as the Veltliner-Glenlivet – I mean, the previous 2004 – but it's still all good. Having said that, you'd easily understand why one would decide to use more PX seasoning or else on these kinds of batches.
SGP:561 - 83 points.

Like…

Balmenach 9 yo 2013/2022 (59.5%, Alistair Walker's Infrequent Flyers, Or Sileis & Whisky Dive & Joecy, oloroso sherry puncheon, cask #804890, 670 bottles)

Colour: dark amber/office coffee. Nose: it's pretty unusual, reminding me of that old cocktail called 'Death in Paris' (La Mort à Paris) at first. That's 1/3 whisky, 1/3 gin and 1/3 pastis. But it's soon to move to better known pasture, with puréed chestnuts, cherry liqueur, peonies, orange blossom water, umeshu, Korean plum wine (Maesil-ju)… In short, all things we rather love. Doesn't a good glass of whisky always make you travel? With water: rubber, tyres, lacquer, plus all the rest that was already there. Mouth (neat): thick, sweet and spicier. Chocolate and dried damsons, slivovitz, molasses, pepper liqueur, marmalade, cinnamon, hoisin… With water: we tamed it. Glazed chestnuts, sweet mustard, gravy, triple-sec, sesame oil… The orangey liqueur would tend to try to take over, with is no bad news. Finish: long and curiously saltier. A touch of pastis indeed in the aftertaste. Note to self, use what's left in a good sauce, but don't tell anyone. Comments: a little bit on the heavy side, but it would tell you many stories. Have I mentioned tar and chocolate?
SGP:662 - 87 points.

2013, all right then…

Balmenach 8 yo 2013/2022 (56.6%, Navigate World Whisky, Partners by LMDW, refill octave, cask #11128-176A, 54 bottles)

A neat wee bottling for South Africa. A refill octave, that's more or less like a first fill barrel, no? No. Colour: full gold. Nose: close to roots, mushrooms, moss, liquorice wood, then stewed fruits, apricots, some kind of wilder artisan nougat, cassata, candied fruits and really a lot of angelica… That's very nice. With water: oranges and clove, mushrooms, vanilla, liquorice wood, touches of turmeric and ginger… Mouth (neat): extractive, heavy, spicy, close to some kind of Texan sweet chilli sauce when neat. Chutneys and more candied fruits, plus cinnamon mints chiming in then. This sure isn't Evian. With water: gets even thicker and more extractive, that's the octave effect (even when refill, apparently). Oak spices, allspice, cinnamon and nutmeg, lactones… Finish: really long, really spicy. Comments: the very definition of an oak-driven malt whisky; not exactly my cup of tea but in its own genre, I say it's a success.
SGP:461 - 83 points.

Balmenach 13 yo 2004/2018 (51.2%, Hidden Spirits, bourbon, cask #BL418, 266 bottles)

I still can't get an older expression of Clynelish by Hidden Spirits out of mee head. Colour: white wine. Nose: waters, metals and embrocations at first (from the cask's previous content, perhaps?) then bread doughs, grass, porridge and chalk. Very discreet. With water: same. The naked truth in your glass. Green apples, lemons, crisp bready maltiness… Mouth (neat): in the style of the Cadenhead's, that is to say a tad rustic, grassy, chalky, lemony, leafy… With water: some tropical fruits coming out (well, green bananas, don't expect a pina colada), plus lemon liqueur, barley syrup, a wee bit of vanilla fudge from the cask… It's become gentler, easier, and really good. Finish: medium, malty, rooty and earthy. White pepper and zests in the aftertaste. Comments: maybe not Coltrane but top filler, only good things to say.
SGP:551 - 84 points.

Balmenach 19 yo 2002/2021 (55%, Maltbarn, bourbon, 160 bottles)

Colour: white wine. Nose: barley sugar, sweet breads, croissant, sunflower oil, ripe apples. All that in perfect sync. With water: grist, porridge and chalk. Mouth (neat): good malt, lager, muesli, tart apples, grass, grapefruit, leaves, rucola… With water: some sweeter fruits, tangerines, starkrimsons, pink bananas… Finish: medium, with a little pepper otherwise fruit peel and cider apples. Comments: how many times have we already used the word 'filler'? Very good but pretty austere, needs to be intellectualised a wee bit. Not by me.
SGP:451 - 84 points.

Balmenach-Glenlivet 12 yo 2004/2017 (54.4%, Cadenhead, bourbon hogshead, 258 bottles)

Balmenach-Glenlivet 12 yo 2004/2017 (54.4%, Cadenhead, Authentic Collection, bourbon hogshead, 258 bottles)

Really emptying the BA box now. That's Balblair, Balvenie and Balmenach. Oh, and Banff. Colour: pale white wine. Nose: pure cut grass, melon skin, prickly pear, chalk, grist and plaster. With water: grist in majesty. No pun intended, I swear to… whomever. Mouth (neat): very good lemons and apples. Leaves and grasses all around them. With water: good cider, good muesli, not that much grass, perhaps a little coconut. Finish: medium, leavy, grassy, with some white pepper and a little ginger. Comments: young and pretty flawless, but one would almost hope for flaws.
SGP:551 - 82 points.

We should stop doing these kinds of tastings, not all malt are Ben Nevis (no sugar!?) Good, perhaps just a last one that was distilled BTFI. That's 'Before The F*****g' Internet'.

Balmenach 23 yo 1988/2011 (46%, Mo Or Collection, bourbon hogshead, cask #1150, 440 bottles)

Still made under United Distillers' flag. A very crazy series, well too early, the idea was to gather malts from just all and every Scottish distilleries. Mind you, that was twelve years ago, already! They even had some Ladyburn… We had never tried this Balmenach, but I believe the whole process is now close to completion at WF Towers, after , err, twelve years. Colour: white wine. Nose: yes, bandages and ointments, chalk, crushed slate, paraffin, leatherette, sauna oils, vinyl, grist, sourdough… Some sherry-less action, at last! Mouth: superbly medicinal, complex, bandagey, with oils of all kinds, ditto vanilla, hardwoods, then fruit peel, melons, lemon, apples… It's just fantastic. Finish: probably a little good OBE already. A fattish, waxy feel ala HP. No, this is well Balmenach. Amazing medicinal aftertaste, between eucalyptus and olive oil. Comments: bang-bang, winner! Now go find these bottles…
SGP:561 - 90 points.

(Thank you, Tom and other friends)

Check the index of all Balmenach we've tasted so far