Balblair 1992 (cask 3025)

 

Information

Distillery: Balblair
Bottling: Distillery Only Exclusive
Age: 21
Distilled: 1992
Bottled: 2013
Strength: 57.2%
Cask: ex-bourbon (2nd fill I think)

Nose

The usual balblair mango coming through for me, but it would be interesting to know if I would get mango on a blind taste. Some sharp fruit like freshly cut red apple but easing off to soft dairy fudge ice cream, loaded with vanilla, honey and a little soft almond.

Taste

Coats the mouth easily and is hot and fizzy due to the high alcohol strength but it is a plus to me and really smacks the flavours into you and requires restraint to slowly work through the dram. Eases off in the mouth with fruit, coconut, vanilla and milk chocolate.

Finish

Not much fruit on the finish. More toasted oak, malted biscuits, and dry desicated coconut.

Comments

Fantastic dram. Again Balblair at cask strength is just utterly delicious.

Balblair 1978

Information

Distillery: Balblair
Bottling: Distillery Bottling
Age: 30
Distilled: 1978
Bottled: 2008
Strength: 46%
Cask: ex-bourbon

Nose

Sweet Nectarine & Pineapple. Dark Chocolate, Toffee & Raisins. Cloves. A very light distant smoke.

Taste

Round and fruity in the mouth, dryer than the nose lets on but still some sweetness there. A little polished oak, some vanilla and a touch of heather.

Finish

Oak but a little more restrained, a little desert spice and a very small touch of peat.

Comments

A very lovely dram, but very restrained, and a very easy sipper; too easy. Would love to have tried something of this age at a higher strength.