A little trio of Balvenie


October 22, 2024

A little trio of Balvenie

Balvenie is also one of those brands increasingly using unusual casks for finishing, but firstly, we've always held the utmost respect for Balvenie, and secondly, they were among the pioneers with their renowned ‘Doublewood’, ‘Islay Cask’, and ‘Portwood’. So, we can hardly accuse them of just jumping on the bandwagon.

(Always been a fan of The Balvenie Guy - print ad, circa 2005)

Balvenie 14 yo (47.8%, OB, A Collection of Curious Casks, American bourbon barrel, 2024)

Well, of course, an ex-bourbon barrel could hardly qualify as a ‘curious cask,’ and I do hope it never will, but it seems the good folk at Balvenie have detected some unusual smoky notes here. I suspect that might have come from the previous contents of the barrel. Colour: white wine. Nose: it’s absolutely beautiful, reminiscent of a top-tier Chenin Blanc (Savennières, perhaps?) with a touch of gunflint. Honeysuckle, white currants, pink grapefruit, chalk, and a few hints of soot and saltpetre, followed by very restrained vanilla. The balance is superb. For now, the smoke is more of the ‘flinty’ variety. Mouth: wonderful lemony tension, with more flint and chalk, perhaps even a suggestion of cigarette ash (brings to mind the days when one might smoke outdoors in a strong wind), then green apple and indeed a whisper of lapsang souchong tea, though perhaps only half of a small cup, the kind they sometimes use in China. Finish: the classic Balvenie markers come through—quince and mirabelle plums—then a touch of acacia honey, but overall it stays delightfully taut, with a hint of salinity in the aftertaste. Comments: very good indeed. I wasn’t quite sure what to expect.
SGP:462 - 87 points.

Balvenie 18 yo (47.9%, OB, A Collection of Curious Casks, French pineau cask finish, 2024)

Balvenie 18 yo (47.9%, OB, A Collection of Curious Casks, French pineau cask finish, 2024)
I do wonder what’s going on with all these pineau casks popping up in Scotland these days. Just a reminder, pineau (not pinot) is grape must fortified with cognac (from the Charentes region), so it’s not exactly ‘wine’. If we let our friends north of Hadrian’s Wall carry on like this, we’ll soon have pineau in mizunara oak casks. That’ll be a laugh... Don’t get me wrong, there are some exceptional pineaux from the Charentes, but much like with sherry, I doubt the superstars are being used for these finishings. Colour: pale gold. Nose: it’s reminiscent of Sauternes or Monbazillac finishes—sweet, fruity, and syrupy, with honey, ripe peaches, and apricots leading the charge. There’s also some very ripe mirabelle plum (the kind that turns almost red), though whether that comes from the pineau or from Balvenie itself, I couldn’t say. A touch of ale reminds us it’s still whisky. Mouth: the same impression, though it’s a bit tighter than expected. Pink grapefruit, tangerines, honey, prickly pears, a dash of lychee in syrup, and a very, very slight hint of grape stem. That mirabelle, however, is nowhere to be found on the palate. Finish: medium length, with a nice fruity balance—Starkrimson apples, Belle de Boskoop, and a bit of grapefruit skin on the aftertaste. Comments: a lovely balancing act, though I still count myself among those who believe whisky should be ‘dry’. So, I do rather prefer the 14.
SGP:651 - 85 points.

Hop, a little Burnside...

Burnside 27 yo 1996/2024 (52.9%, Halcyon Spirits, blended malt, release #4, sherry finish)

Burnside, one of those brands that has done so much to restore the reputation of teaspoons, both in Scotland and far beyond. They deserve a medal (perhaps in nickel silver or vermeil). Colour: deep gold. Nose: quite a different story, dominated by polish and varnish, almost like a young bourbon with a high rye content. Perhaps it’s from the cask used before the sherry finishing? People occasionally mention pumpernickel, but here there’s really quite a lot of it, along with a handful of small Cuban cigars—the kind JFK might have smoked after the American embargo, possibly Davidoff’s Haut-Brion. Do as I say, not as I do… With water: similar, but now with more plasticine and new car interior. A bit like fresh plastic from Temu or AliExpress, oddly enjoyable despite the chemical notes. Mouth (neat): superb, very much on the sherry side, with walnuts, mild mustard, and damp earth, very ‘amontillado’. With water: gone are the quirky e-commerce notes, replaced by mustard, green walnuts, tobacco, and small cider apples. Finish: long and zesty, with fruit peels and more amontillado in the aftertaste. Or perhaps vin jaune. Comments: quite a surprise. The idea seemed strange, but the result is simply perfect. What a sherry!
SGP:462 - 90 points.

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