Balblair has been rebranding lately, much as fellow InBev distillery Old Pulteney was rebranded. This bottle comes from before the rebrand, and is certainly a nice Speyside, especially for those seeking a gentler, softer experience.
Bottled at a completely decent 46% ABV, and distilled in 2003 (matured in 2nd fill ex-bourbon for 10 years, 2003-2013). This came on a day where I tasted several rich drams in a row, with Balblair roughly in the middle - did it get lost in the shuffle? Let's find out...
Nose: Very soft. Floral, in a vague, but pleasant way. Cereal malt. Alcohol sharpness. Small basket of fruit. Not complicated, but certainly very nice. I read another review online that said "simple but direct," which feels about right.
Mouthfeel: Very light.
Palate: Inoffensive, creamy. Apple flesh. Citrus. Malt and vanilla. More or less follows the nose. Those 2nd fill casks must have been a little bit worn out: the flavors here are super soft and delicate, no big vanilla push or giant caramel drips here.
Finish: Very short, entirely dry/spicy oak flavors. I like this, although I might also have appreciated a little sweetness to offset the dryness.
Verdict: This is a completely drinkable Speyside. Nothing memorable... but nothing offensive. Easy down the hatch, which sometimes is just the thing. Recommended.
Nose: Very soft. Floral, in a vague, but pleasant way. Cereal malt. Alcohol sharpness. Small basket of fruit. Not complicated, but certainly very nice. I read another review online that said "simple but direct," which feels about right.
Mouthfeel: Very light.
Palate: Inoffensive, creamy. Apple flesh. Citrus. Malt and vanilla. More or less follows the nose. Those 2nd fill casks must have been a little bit worn out: the flavors here are super soft and delicate, no big vanilla push or giant caramel drips here.
Finish: Very short, entirely dry/spicy oak flavors. I like this, although I might also have appreciated a little sweetness to offset the dryness.
Verdict: This is a completely drinkable Speyside. Nothing memorable... but nothing offensive. Easy down the hatch, which sometimes is just the thing. Recommended.
That one is before the rebranding.
ReplyDeleteThank you, sir!! It only took me exactly one year to see this comment and approve it hahaha. Massive apologies. I forgot I had this set to "Approve all comments" - I'm changing that now.
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