Little Duos, today Balblair


January 24, 2023

Little Duos, today Balblair

Mehr Frucht! We'll first have a young one for the northern flatlands that we love so much, then the new(ish) official 25.

Balblair 8 yo 2012/2021 (57.3%, Kintra Spirits, refill sherry hogshead, 307 bottles)

We'll see if melons, bananas and mangos are making the rendezvous. Colour: white wine. Nose: not quite, it's an unusual Balblair that would rather start on linseed oil, metal polish and paraffin, but it's citrus that's rather jumping forward after two seconds, grapefruits, plus a tight white-wine-ness and then some butterscotch and black nougat. Roasted peanuts. Extremely positive, I am. With water: pastry doughs, many of them. It was a very smart sherry hogshead, and certainly not an inactive one. A little Swiss cheese, baker's yeast, bicarbonate of soda, also Werther's Original (which we just adore)… Mouth (neat): very good and very Balblair. Perfect jammy and yet fresh fruitiness, plus literally tons of sultanas. It is a sultana-bomb, if you will, but we're talking juicy golden ones. With water: butterscotch and triple-sec, touches of leaves and ginger tonic in the background. Finish: impeccable. Creamy stout, butterscotch, aquavit and pepper liqueur. Pepper liqueur is an obtained taste, I need to add. Comments: a lot of fun to be had with this one. Some cleverness was in action (not talking about this lousy taster).
SGP:651 - 87 points.

Balblair 25 yo (46%, OB, +/-2022)

Edderton's own this time. Not too sure why, more or less at the same time as Glenrothes, they've abandoned their vintage bottlings to go AS. I'll ask. Colour: amber. Nose: whoops, we're not that far from the 8 yo. Roasted peanuts, pecan pie, walnut cake, nougats both white and black, soft liquorice, a little black garden earth and a few mushrooms (wee oyster mushrooms), a drop of Maggi, or Bovril, or Viandox, some chocolate and dark pollen, toffee… In short, it's wonderful but it's lost a part of its trademark fresh fruitiness that used to harden any connoisseur (S.!!!) Mouth: not too sure. Some bitter almonds and bitter oranges, leaves, tobacco, malty drinks and beers, chocolate and coffee, but there's a little too much black tea for me, which would block any willing fruits. Finish: rather long, chocolaty. Walnut wine and black tea. Drying bouillon. Comments: very good, and after all it is Balblair, but in my humble opinion, the oak's a little too prominent and in that respect, it feels older than just 25, rather 50. Probably not my favourite Balblair ever.
SGP:451 - 84 points.

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