Origin: Highlands (Scotland)
Type: Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Strength: 57.1%ABV
Ageing cask: Ex-Bourbon refill
Chillfiltered: No
Added colouring: No
Owner: Whisky Facile
Price: € 89.00 on Whisky Facile
Official website: Whisky Facile
Vote: 87/100
A distillery that has entered the hearts of this group of bloggers now embarked on the perilous career of independent bottlers, with a cask filled not long after their visit to the distillery.
A few Balblairs have passed through these pages, but always appreciated, so I approach the glass with confidence.
225 bottles produced, at the time of writing still available in their shop.
Tasting notes
The aromas begin with freshness and minerality, what one would trivially call a summer profile: dry, sharp yellow fruit (apple, peach, grapefruit, jujube) with distinct veins of flint and chalk. In short, it becomes softer and sweeter, an English trifle with some notes of honey, marzipan and a waxy undertone. However, the first layer remains dominant, to which the pastry part acts as a support. Zero alcoholic hints.
On the palate, the alcohol content remembers to be important with an initial scratch, pushing forward the spices that had been hiding on the nose: ginger, aniseed and lots of black pepper that enter pompously at the mouth. Everything is a little more amplified and adolescent, even the fruity part declined above all in the acidic tones of the citrus fruits, with the soft accents evident at the back, creating a nice contrast in the drink. Along the length, minerality and balsamic ambitions drift between palate and nose, with ectoplasms of cocoa beans and marzipan.
The finish is quite long with a saline hint on citric and dry, spicy and crisp notes.
A cheerful and carefree but not superficial dram, which starts out almost subdued and then shakes you up with fun and jaunty accents. The antithesis of the meditation whisky, and well pleased to be so.