Malt Mission 2011 #397

Balvenie 8yo
Pure Malt Whisky (Single Malt Whisky)
70 Proof
26 2/3 Fl.oz
£255

From today's perspective, with over 500(!) new single malt expressions launched in 2010 alone, it seems so strange to think that in the whisky boom period of the 1960s only a fraction of 1% was bottled as a single (read Dr. Whisky's blended whisky history). The likes of Macallan and Glenmorangie, leaders in the single malt category today, did not widely release their makes as single malts until 1980 and it took decades of Glen Grant (Italy), Glenlivet (Pullman railway in America) and Glenfiddich (exported as a single from 1963) to set the idea of single malts in the consciousness of the drinking public.

As far as I know, this was the first incarnation of The Balvenie released in small volumes as a single malt. For more distillery info and to see all Balvenies had on the mission, delve into the whisky blog past.

TASTING NOTES:

Fresh and light with a hint of depth and age. Perhaps some liquid older than 8? Chamomile, watered-down honey, hippie teas, damp wood or cardboard in there as well. Sweet white wine. Water releases a sweaty element along with coconut and hazelnut.

Moves from soft and sweet to hard and mineral, but all very weakly. Old bubble gum, baseball card cardboardy taste, coffee cake and walnuts. Ends burnt and toasty.

SUMMARY:

An interesting drop mainly for archival reasons. Although it appears that some bottle "maturation" has effected my sample, I imagine in the 1970s all the best Balvenie was ending up in Grants 12, Best Procurable, Grant's Royal, etc. In short, not something I would open to show "how much better whisky was in the old days." I'll stick with my Balvenie Signature, thank you very much.

Malt Mission #396
Malt Mission #398

Malt Mission #399

Malt Mission # 400

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Malt Mission #396

Malt Mission #398

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Malt Mission 2010 #374

The Balvenie 17yo Madeira Cask
Speyside Single Malt Whisky
43% abv
£67
$130 (USD)

Dr. Whisky's most recent post attracted a good share of attention. This attention took various forms and lead to variable responses from varied corners of this world wide wondernet. I won't be linking them or summarizing them from here, but thank you, go f yourself, and everything in between.

Not one to shy away from controversy, I thought I would come right back at it with a post featuring a whisky from the distillery I represent as an ambassador here in the USA. Bam! Yes, I have said it before, and I will say it again, I currently work for William Grant and Sons. No secrets. This Scottish, independent, family-owned whisky company (not many can say that!) allows this little blog to continue and have NEVER asked that I say anything about other brands or our own that would be contrary to my right, true, and honest opinion... Yet. God bless 'em.

So if you are new to Dr. Whisky (or think he is a douchebag sellout) please feel free to gloss over this post. You are entitled to "reserve the right to dismiss the opinions of anyone on the payroll of a distiller as being potentially swayed by the facts of their employ"- JC Skinner. Potentially. You might as well add editors and some journalists and authors as well then, Skinner, as paid advertisements, receiving free samples and gifts, being invited to plush dinners and incentive trips could equally lead to swayed opinions... in the spineless.

If you have been around since this whisky blog began, through Dr. Whisky working for others (retailers, indie bottlers, and whisky companies) and noted that he remains as objective and transparent as one can be all things considered, then read on. If you smell BS please call me out on it. I beg you. And I thank you.

Other opinions on The Balvenie 17yo Madeira Cask HERE, HERE, HERE, HERE, HERE, HERE, HERE and elswhere, no doubt.
This is the latest in the 17yo series that began back in 2001 with David Stewart's creation of The Balvenie 17yo Islay Cask... a name that incidentally would be illegal today under SWA regulations. Like calling this release "Island Cask" (yup, Madeira is an island). The whole range is now relatively collectible, especially now that David Stewart has gone into semi-retirement, no one knows for how long this series will continue. We've seen the Islay Cask, New Wood, New Oak, Sherry Oak, Rum Cask, and now Madeira Cask, a 17yo Balvenie that has matured in refill American oak casks before being transferred to casks that used to hold Madeira for an additional +/- 4 months*.

Madeira wine is essentially a fortified wine, like port, but from the island of Madeira. For Madeira wine, they actually heat up the wine to replicate the exposure to heat on sea travel that would have traditionally occurred. This exposes the wine to some oxidation and adds nutty, raisiny, and sweet butterscotch-like flavours to the wine.

For all Balvenies had on the malt mission or for more distillery info, click HERE.
TASTING NOTES:

Smells distinctly oaky. Sweet. Touch of nail polish, barley sweetness, and then a recipe for arrowroot cookies: vanilla, flour, honey, butter, and a touch of coconut.

Fruity and sweet on the palate with a strong oakiness. Explodes upon swallowing with dried fruits, toasty notes like aged tobacco or beer nuts, butterscotch, and toffee. Long carmelized finish.

SUMMARY:

When I first tasted this in the summer of 2009, I was initially struck by a youthful, new make-y element on the nose. Those impressions remain. This drop is deceptively fresh and youthful for a 17 year old with barley sugar sweetness and pear drop/estery notes. But on the palate is where this whisky truly delivers. Plums, raisins, tobacco, and all sorts of varieties of burnt sugar and butter (toffee, butterscotch, prailine...) swell in the mouth long after swallowing. The overall impression is of a whisky that is light, but full flavoured, and destined to be an after-dinner treat or a cigar lover's new best friend. One of the best in the 17yo series.

Malt Mission #371
Malt Mission #372
Malt Mission #373
Malt Mission #375

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Malt Mission 2009 #358

Balvenie 17yo Islay Cask
Speyside Single Malt Whisky
43% abv
$£ varies

Okay, not technically an Islay whisky, but as a part of an Islay-themed week here on the Malt Mission I thought I had better get some notes for this drop out there while I can as I am fortunate enough to have a near empty bottle sitting in my living room.

Originally released in 2001, The Balvenie 17yo Islay Cask was the first of a string of 17 year old experiments from Balvenie Malt Master, David Stewart. It would be 4 years before the next in the series was released, just enough time for this drop to generate a sort of cult following and for all available bottles to be snapped up. It wasn't until the 2007 release of The Balvenie 17yo Sherry Cask that interest in the 17yo series from Balvenie really began to simmer again. The polarized responses to 2008's 17yo Rum Cask only continued this interest and with this year's 17yo Madiera Cask (available in September) already receiving whisky-nerd online buzz, I know I better stock our stalls at whisky fairs with a few extra bottles.

This seems a good time to remind folks that I do work for William Grant & Sons, family distillers and owners of The Balvenie. To some readers I am perhaps no longer 'independent,' John Glaser gave me a big drunk hug when I took this position 15 months ago and said "sellout" in my ear, but I have done everything possible (and been allowed by my employer to do everything possible) to keep Dr. Whisky independent and free to express honest opinions of our own and competitors' whiskies. And I feel that I do. But I leave that verdict to you, I just thought it fair to remind you that I work for this whisky company.

That being said, as a whisky lover I have collected all of the Balvenie 17yo variants (before and after I began work with WGS) and have always respected the distillery as one of Speyside's, indeed, Scotland's best. This Islay Cask that Michael Jackson called "a picnic on the cliffs... reminiscent of the days Speysiders were peatier," won me over back in 2004 and is similar in concept to another whisky from William Grant & Sons tasted back at Malt Mission #177.

For more distillery info and to see all Balvenies had on the mission, click HERE.

TASTING NOTES:

Sweet, vegetal, oaky, and intriguing. Yellow plums, fresh corn, soy beans, salted butter, and cigarette filters.

Palate hints more at this drop's heritage with depth of age, creamy oak and luscious honey. Jammy and buttery before bursting with a puff of smoke and confusing the heck out of you. Endless finish of fresh fruits, cooked parsnip sweetness, and chimney smoke all in elegant harmony.

SUMMARY:

Not immensely complex, but a true drinking delight. An experiment that went right, as far as I am concerned. Beautiful whisky whose origin would puzzle even the most experienced malthead as s/he happily drinks the stuff. Yet more evidence of what an intergral part the casks (and their previous occupants) play in the final character of a given whisky. I have had similar Balvenies in the Single Barrel 15yo line that must have been filled into ex-Islay casks. Too bad it is nearly impossible to find this bottling anymore. Casks like this (ex-Islay) are in the system everywhere tho and I look forward to Balvenie, or any other typically unpeated-style distillery, releasing more of these onto the world.

Malt Mission #356
Malt Mission #357
Malt Mission #359
Malt Mission #360

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Malt Mission 2009 #334

The Balvenie Rose 16yo
Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky
53.4% abv
£100

I will follow on the Valentine's theme with a back-to-back post (a year after our friends at Whisky Grotto) partly to make up for the lack of activity on Dr. Whisky as of late, partly cuz the romantic back story suits the theme of the day, but also to get through the backlog of tasting notes I have from treats I have tasted.

The Balvenie Castle sits on a hill above the two distilleries William Grant built in the 19th century, Glenfiddich and The Balvenie. The Balvenie Rose takes its name from a 15th century story that surrounds one of the castle's most storied inhabitants, the Fair Maid of Galloway, Margaret Douglas.

Famously beautiful, Margaret married the Eighth Earl of Douglas, a man eventually thrown out a window to his death. She later wed his brother, the last of the Black Douglas line, who continued his family's rebellion against King James II and eventually found himself defeated, his title, estate, and hot wife taken from him. Margaret had no problem finding someone else to love her in the First Earl of Atholl (John Stewart). And so taken with her beauty was the King that he reinstated her in Balvenie Castle for the annual rent of one red rose.

The Balvenie Rose is much coveted by whisky lovers and was only available at the distillery in very limited amounts: it was selected from four casks from 1991 and finished in port pipes, giving it a rosey pink hue. The whisky has not been coloured, chill-filtered, and was released at cask strength.

For all Balvenie had on the mission, click HERE.

TASTING NOTES:

Strong and sweet, a touch of earth and a busy array of fruits and flowers. A touch of water complicates matters by adding sour notes, fruits like plums and cranberries, and unleashing a spice of caraway seeds and a dairy element like milk.

Berries and bubblegum, spice and oak, hot and excited at bottle strength. Water unravels the tight array of spice revealing grassy elements, corn syrup and winey oak. Patience (and water) allow this puppy to show what it's made of.

SUMMARY:

An unusual Balvenie that surprises most with whom I have shared it. But what it lacks in the characteristic Balvenie-honeyed flavours it makes up for with suprises of fruit and smoke and a kick-ass abv%. Beautiful packaging, in my mind, and a real treat for the scotch hunter, malt advocate, malt maniac, or for those of us on continuing malt missions. Another modest marvel from the modest marvel of the industry himself, The Balvenie Malt Master David Stewart.

Malt Mission #331
Malt Mission #332
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Malt Mission #335

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Malt Mission 2008 #313

The Balvenie 17yo Rum Cask

Speyside Single Malt Whisky
43% abv
£65
$130(USD)

The creative baby of the folks at Balvenie, the 17 yo expression has seen incarnations as Islay Cask, New Wood, New Oak, Sherry Oak, and now the 17yo Rum Cask. This year The Balvenie Malt Master David Stewart and his 9-year apprentice Brian Kinsman have gone for a Jamaican Rum Cask finished Balvenie to be their 17yo release.

Folks in the USA will notice that the Balvenie Rum Cask 17yo is about 45 bucks more expensive than its predecessor, the 17yo Sherry Cask (tasted on Malt Mission #312). This has spawned a bit of a discussion on John Hansell's WHAT DOES JOHN KNOW regarding price increases across the Scotch whisky world. I have not yet weighed in on the issue on John's site, but I will add my two cents now.

All of the top 10 single malt distilleries in the world are working at full capacity for the first time since the 1970s if ever. The technical advances and increases in labour hours have therefore increased and if we want, say, Dalmore 15yo in 15 years we have to help pay for that investment today, with the current prices of grain, energy, manpower, etc.

When every bottle a distiller can produce can be sold, the demand exceeds the supply. This seems terribly obvious, but we who have increased interest, passion and SALES of Scotch whisky must recognise that it is a finite product. Scottish distilleries are not enormous operations and that is why we love them. The time and patience that it takes to make, say, a BenRiach 20yo is what has so charmed us about the world of malt whisky. And yes, it makes us feel good and tastes great but if we were to put a price tag on time we would find that we have been paying far too little for far too long. When a Patron Silver (completely unaged tequila) can be sold for $40 and an Aberlour that has matured for 12 years and then gets a second maturation in a sherry cask can be sold for $41, something ain't adding up and we'd be idiots to think that this could last forever.

The instability of the American dollar demands that if a whisky company remains determined to keep the USA as a priority market then prices must be adjusted accordingly as the industry losses last year based on currency alone were VERY significant.

And finally, just look around; movies, bread, rent, WhiskyFEST tickets, etc. have ALL seen increases of well over 100%. Over the past ten years, the price of new Scotch whisky has NOT gone up at the same rate as this wider trend while resale and collector sales of whiskies have seen incredible increases. The eBAy phenomenon has definitely made distillers ask "if PC5 can be sold one month after we released it for 60% more on the auction market, why the hell didn't we charge that from the beginning?" A good, and fair, if annoying, question. (Die pirates, DIE!)

The market can certianly bear it and we, as whisky lovers, must support it for the tens of thousands who work in the industry and for our 30th wedding anniversaries where we want to be able to have the best whisky bar the world has ever seen.

Enough for today. On to the whisky at hand. Have your say at John's excellent site or leave me a comment.

DISCLAIMER: Please let it be known that I currently work for William Grant and Sons, the family-owned Scottish distilling company that owns The Balvenie distillery. If you choose to take my tasting notes as bullshit and Dr. Whisky has not, after 311 Malt Missions, earned your trust as a source of honest presentations of whiskies good and less good, then so be it. But I do vow to maintain objectivity and am under no constraints from my current employers with regards to how to present their whiskies. As a result are the listed impressions are my own, as always. In light of my editorialising above, I should also add that nothing I say reflects the opinion WGS and those opinions expressed are the sole expression of one SS, Dr. Whisky.

TASTING NOTES:

Multi-layered with sweet themes of fruit and spice. Candied and inviting with banana chips, dates, and anise flavoured liqueur. Loads of brown sugar sweetness with grapes and hazelnuts. Toffeed, some tamarind and synthetic orange, growing gently minty with time.

Coconut and creme with sweet oaky grip. Continues with berry fruits and spices (fennel, mint, cloves) with a luscious vanilla backbone of American oak influence. Sweet, lengthy finish with soft impressions of stewed fruits.

SUMMARY:

A luscious and sweet dram that, naturally, will not appeal to everyone. All the complexity comes in the key of sweet: peaches and nectaries, candies, apples, honey, syrup, brown sugar, rum, berries, grapes (perfect Rosh Hashana whisky?) but remains incredibly drinkable and neither cloying nor saccrine-sweet due to the gentle but permeating oaky core of this spirit. To a sweet new year!

Malt Mission #311
Malt Mission #312
Malt Mission #314
Malt Mission #315

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Malt Mission 2008 #312

The Balvenie 17yo Sherry Oak
Speyside Single Malt Whisky
43% abv
£60
$85(USD)

A few years ago Balvenie introduced a limited release 17yo that had been finished in casks that had previously held peaty Islay whisky called The Balvenie 17yo Islay Cask. Today, that bottling is highly collectible and it spawned a series of annually released 17yo expressions from malt master David Stewart and his long-serving apprentice Brian Kinsman. We have seen Islay Cask, New Wood, New Oak, Sherry Oak, and this year, The Balvenie Rum Cask 17yo (to be tasted on the next post).

This release spent all of its 17 years maturation in European oak casks that used to hold oloroso, the dark, glycerine-rich "scented" Spanish sherry. This presents a rare opportunity as most Balvenies contain significant percentages of American oak and only rare single casks like Cask 191 (50 year old and £6000 per bottle) show The Balvenie under full sherry influence.

DISCLAIMER: Please let it be known that I currently work for William Grant and Sons family-owned Scottish distilling company that owns The Balvenie distillery. If you choose to take my tasting notes as bullshit and Dr. Whisky has not, after 311 Malt Missions, earned your trust as a source of honest presentations of whiskies good and less good, then so be it. But I do vow to maintain objectivity and am under no constraints from my current employers with regards to how to present their whiskies. As a result are the listed impressions are my own, as always.

For distillery info and to see all Balvenies had on the mission, click HERE.

TASTING NOTES:

Rich and sweet with heavy sherry influence. Peppery like shiraz. Spicy like coffee. Some oysert sauce and wax. Very fruity, jammy, and brilliantly oaky.

Less sherried than expected, more honey and vanilla creme at first, then explodes with toasted nuttiness, rich fruit and an array of spice including aniseed and cloves. Mmm, dark chocolate and candied cherries. Espresso. Flavours linger without much development beyond their initial statements, but fortunately that complex array is deep and rich from the beginning.

SUMMARY:

A very unique Balvenie and as close to Macallan or Glenfarclas' sherried style that the distillery gets. Although it is not a drop I personally reach for regularly, those who like it (ie. sherry cask lovers) will like it a lot. It sold out rapidly in certain countries and is highly sought after by many, a phenomenon that will only increase in time as the few remaining cases get snatched up. It has all the sherry you could want while maintaining a balance of the Balvenie's core flavours and the rich oakiness one would expect from 100% maturation in sherry casks. Kristin points out that the flavour profile suggests evening consumption rather than breakfast dramming. Absolutely, but don't let me stop you!

Malt Mission #311
Malt Mission #313
Malt Mission #314
Malt Mission #315

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Malt Mission 2008 #300

Balvenie Classic
Speyside Single Malt Whisky
43% abv
***price unknown***

Flew the amazing Porter airlines from Toronto Island to Newark, had a brilliant lunch with Charlie Maclean, and lugged my bags up 5 flights in an old walk-up in Hell's Kitchen: I have finally arrived in NYC, baby! And just in time for Malt Mission #300. Thank you so much for reading and supporting Dr. Whisky over these centuries of dramming. I raise a glass to you all. Cheers!

Discontinued in 1993, this old cognac-style (E&J?) bottle Balvenie is often referred to as "the tennis racket". It is a predecessor to the current Doublewood 12yo having been matured for many years in traditional casks (casks used too many times to be reasonably called ex-anything) and then finished in sherry butts. It also had an 18yo version that was more common and not finished in sherry casks.

I tasted this beauty with Sukhinder Singh and a room of whisky lovers and whisky makers that he had invited back to his batcave of whisky on the WhiskyLIVE London weekend after we had sat on a judging panel at the World Whisky Awards. Was a crazy day/night. As a result, my notes might not be 100% "scientific"... or accurate. It must also be admitted that many of SS's bottles have been open since the 1980s (exaggeration? maybe) so they may no longer be fair representations of their original selves. Nonetheless...

TASTING NOTES:

Buttery soft, warming nose with doughnuts, dried fruits and a meatiness of flesh, salt, and pepper, blood like a freshly seasoned raw steak. Garden weeds and a bit of smoke, too.

Oaky impact that blows flavours like warm air. Apricots, plums (sour?) rice pudding, but it is not sweet in the sugary sense, has a sherried sweetness and an oaky core. More meatiness like bacon and heavy sherried tones through the LONG jammy and fruity finish.

SUMMARY:

Confident and meaningful. Forward, fabulous, and doesn't faff about. Like a meaningful kiss from a long time lover or a hug from a much-missed friend. “It’s fucking good,” said John Glaser after a long sip directly from the bottle. Told you it was a great night.

Malt Mission #296
Malt Mission #297
Malt Mission #298
Malt Mission #299

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Malt Mission 2008 #299

Balvenie Port Wood 21yo
Speyside Single Malt Whisky
40%
£69
$130 (USD)

I have featured this drop on Dr. Whisky way back in March 2007 (here) but not as part of the malt mission proper so here it is, immediately following its younger brother (see Malt Mission #298).

This time I also tasted it under much more controlled conditions in the Robbie Dhu centre at the Glenfiddich Distillery with Balvenie Global Brand Ambassador David Mair, a true Dufftown boy with an honest and unpolluted passion for The Balvenie. We did a lot of "work" that afternoon and I will share more notes from that research session over the next few posts, if possible.

This expression was initially launched in 1999 as part of the standard range and has been critically acclaimed ever since winning accolades from the San Francisco World Spirits Competition to the Spirit of Speyside Festival. In fact, Balvenie made history when in 2006 it won Gold Medals for it's entire core range of whiskies (save the Single Barrel 15yo) at the International Spirits Challenge, the biggest single distillery award haul in the competition's history.

For all Balvenies had on the mission, click HERE.

TASTING NOTES:

Fruity and creamy, like orange creamsicles. Raisin sweetness and brazil nut dryness. A distinct mustiness in the background verifies the age.

Honeyed and creamy with a big, rich flavour impact; but somehow gentle, like a pillowfight or Jello wrestling. Spicy, too, pepper and a bit of chinese 5-spice or something. Deep and complex. Long creamy finish with nutty oakiness and, i dunno... hard to explain; not a flavour but a feeling...very exciting, like gently touching the inside lip of someone you love (or lust) with your tongue. Warming and sensual. Each sip an experience that is happily repeated.

SUMMARY:

A Balvenie that is totally worth taking the plunge for the price jump, especially when you look around the whisky world and see other speyside distillers (Macallan?!?) charging almost double for their 21yo. Totally dig this sip after sensual sip. Ideal for after dinner-date dramming or even alone in the wee hours as a masterbatory malt. Could be my mood and present circumstances. Yours, Randy.

Malt Mission #296
Malt Mission #297
Malt Mission #298
Malt Mission #300

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Malt Mission 2008 #298

Balvenie Port Wood 1993
Speyside Single Malt Whisky
40% abv
£29

This is part of a popular series of whiskies with 1989 and 1991 vintages preceding this release, each one finished in port pipes after 14 years of initial maturation.

Many folks agree that each expression has been different and whether or not that was the intention of its creators, the very fact of that variation is one of the great excitements of enjoying malt whisky. Sure, sometimes it is a risk from the perspective of both the consumer and producer, but it is a risk we all take in the hope of discovering some new and more delicious flavour complex. Speaking of which, I had some chicken wings at beerbistro in Toronto and was absolutely bowled over by the intense but balanced flavours. Heavenly stuff. I haven't been able to shut up about them and now here I am typing about them. Thank goodness chickens can't fly, those wings just wouldn't taste the same.

There are apparently no more vintages of this line planned for the future. For all Balvenies had on the mission, click HERE.

TASTING NOTES:

Shy at first, museli, oak, the white bottoms of green/spring onions and then more fruit: raspberries, blackberries, and a slightly sour malty note with pepper and shiraz-like wine notes emerging.

Honey and bittersweet fruits. Very drying ¾ of the way through, finishing with impressions of oak, egg noodles and newspaper.

SUMMARY:

A unique profile among the Balvenie family of malts (Founder’s Reserve, DoubleWood, 15yo, 21yo Port Wood) that once again brings to our attention the seemingly infinite diversity of scotch whisky, not just from region to region or distillery to distillery, but often between two bottlings from the same distillery. Subdued and oaky, this dram will lack excitement for many, but it is a well-constructed and unique Balvenie whose charms lie beyond superficial initial examinations.

Malt Mission #296
Malt Mission #297
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Malt Mission #300

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Malt Mission 2008 #297

Balvenie Signature 12 yo
Speyside Single Malt Whisky
40% abv
£29

NOMINATED in the 2008 DRAMMIES
*Bang for Buck
*Best New Product
Vote HERE (before Mar 6, 2009)

Launched in April in the UK this is Balvenie's newest product. Come autumn 2008, this Balvenie Signature will be available in selected markets globally to commemorate the forty-five (45!!!) years that Malt Master David Stewart has been with William Grant and Sons. Over the next short while I will be drinking The Balvenie to commemorate something as well.

At some point in the near future I will be taking up a position with William Grant and Sons as the Balvenie Brand Ambassador USA. There are few whisky companies I could proudly work for and the Scottish and family-owned WGS is one of them. I have known folks involved in the company for years and everyone I have met since being offered this job has been totally lovely, friendly, and supportive. Further, Balvenie is an outstanding hand-crafted whisky that maintains traditional production methods while being innovative with cask management and product development. Finally, the stuff tastes great. Doublewood was the first single malt I consciously saved up precious pounds to buy (it was £4 off at OddBins). I couldn't be happier to represent this stuff professionally.

But the problem is that now, suddenly, all that confessional fluff above could easily sound like marketing speak and that is the last thing I want to be present on Dr. Whisky. It always has been. That shit doesn't belong here and every distiller or bottler who has sent me samples has been aware that their drops are subject to my objective and honest critique/analysis/tasting notes, etc., no matter how many bottles they send me or product launches they invite me to. I have worked for various companies over the lifespan of Dr. Whisky and still been able to maintain objectivity. That doesn't mean you will trust me and I guess I could have continued and just said nothing about this. Oh well.

Although this site is well aware of its value as a whisky marketing tool (I often call myself a whiskevangelist) there will be no marketing bullshit on Dr. Whisky. Dr. Whisky will continue to represent all of god's own heavenly spirit but Sam Simmons will represent Balvenie professionally. So I will shut up. In fact, Dr. Whisky will shut up about Balvenie forever.

But before he does that and before I am on contract with the company and thus obliged not to say anything bad about their whiskies, I need to post on all the Balvenies I have tasted before my objectivity is legally stripped away from me and I officially become the Balvenie Bloke (very different than the Balvenie Guy... I will not wear bowties nor drink Balvenie in tumblers or on ice.)*

I can't wait for the supportive comments and/or hate mail. Bring it on. I am not scared.

For all Balvenie had on the mission click HERE.

*- note, I am not forbidden from expressing honest opinions about any other whiskies, just urged (legally) not to write anything negative about Balvenie, effective soon.

TASTING NOTES:

Not unlike the 10yo Founder's Reserve (discontinued come 2009) in its restrained richness with orange oil, honey, a touch of smoke, and a slight sherry influence of dried fruits.

Mellow and fruity. Some kind of spiciness, too. Toasty, vanilla-ed and laundry fresh, with a medium short finish of oak and outdoorsy spice.

SUMMARY:

Compact and complex, although pinpointing particular flavours is a challenge as they are all bound up in eachother. The kind of well-constructed whisky that reveals a new aroma, taste or impression every sip. The 18% sherry casks used in this whisky make their mark, but gently, like the Founder's Reserve (Malt Mission #113). Available in small releases, who knows how each batch will vary?

Malt Mission #296
Malt Mission #298
Malt Mission #299
Malt Mission #300

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Malt Mission 2008 #244

Balvenie New Oak 17 "First Bottling"
Speyside Single Malt Whisky
43% abv
£55

Now don't get confused, even if the folks at Balvenie appear to be trying to confuse you. Yes, there was a "limited release" Balvenie New Wood back in mid-2006. This Balvenie New Oak is not the same. And although it apparently replaces the "Limited Release", it is called "First Bottling". And you will also note the abv is 43% rather than 40%. Beyond that I suppose it is completely different. Right?

Retailers' websites don't seem to help the matter much where "New Wood" and "New Oak" seem to be used interchangeably. Gets worse: the Balvenie official website (U.S. one, too)doesn't even make mention of this product, "New Wood", "New Oak", or "Who Knew?"

So I'll just drink it. Besides, it's what's inside that counts. For distillery info and to see all Balvenies had on the mission, click HERE.

TASTING NOTES:

Apples and honey, cinnamon, pie spices. Bubble gum, warm honey, vanilla ice cream.

Cashews, chestnuts, melba toast, cloves, lemon zest, light and heavy at the same time. More vanilla ice cream, cinnamon, lemon meringue. Eager to have more.

SUMMARY:

Very Balvenie honeyed tones with slightly oak-amplified vanillins. Malty core. Creamy finish. Perfectly balanced or perfectly plain, depending on perspective and/or mood. Clean and tidy whisky from the creative mind of malt master legend, David Stewart.

Malt Mission #241
Malt Mission #242
Malt Mission #243
Malt Mission #245

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Malt Mission 2007 #119

Balvenie 15 yo
Single Barrel
Single Malt Whisky
47.8% abv
£39

$65(USD)

Still kicking it Speyside-style and coming back to the stills of Dufftown. Had a couple of very tasty Balvenie's last week (Malt Mission 113 and 114) and am quite excited to try this as a part of the mission. Thanks to William Grant and Sons for sending me the samples. If they had included a letter or business card or ANYTHING in the package other than samplers, I could thank them personally and relay questions readers have had (is the 10yo being phased out completely?), but oh well. Down to business...

TASTING NOTES:

Feisty with spirit. Back garden smells of flowers and trees. Hard yellow plums. Quite mineral, and slightly salty. Time and water bring out a particular synthetic creaminess(Cool Whip) I absolutely love in bourbon matured whiskies.

Hard, salty licorice, honey and nuts. Apricots. A little bit of papadoms with Indian spices, pickle. Hard, woody, and quick. Water adds a lavender presence, and absolutely kills the bite... and the flavour.

SUMMARY:

A very individual Balvenie, and an odd one at that. It should be said that this is from a wee sampler and as all the 15 year olds are single barrel, this will vary from release to release. Unfortunately, there are no details of cask number, filling/bottling dates, etc. After really enjoying the 10 and 12 last week, I was a bit disappointed with this overall but appreciate its uniqueness among the Balvenie range.

Malt Mission #116
Malt Mission #117
Malt Mission #118
Malt Mission #120

Malt Mission HOME

Malt Mission 2007 #114

Balvenie 12 yo
DoubleWood
Speyside Single Malt Whisky
40% abv
£28
$58.15(CAD)
$50 (USD)

When I first moved to Scotland and my whisky interests were in their infancy, I clearly remember this whisky coming in closer to £25 than £30. And over this past weekend we learned that whisky prices will accelerate at 3 times the rate of inflation in order to "keep up with demand". A price rise of at least 10% is to be expected on whisky over the next year. This seems absolutely absurd as the trend of emerging markets is hardly new, it has been clearly occurring over the past 10+ years. We have seen some whisky makers adjust. How does selling more of something make it more expensive? Read the news HERE.

Whisky is not truffles or diamonds. It is manufactured. Now, I understand the whisky industry is unique in that it takes years to adjust to demands because of the nature of the product, Lagavulin phenomenon of price jumps 2003-6, etc. but after 200 years of existence, the whisky industry should be experts at market predictions. Information I have to hand shows that in 1997 malt whisky was produced at 88% of capacity and has dropped to 70%-ish over the past 10 years. Same trend with grain production. So there should be plenty of whisky over 10 years old. And if production was mistakingly decreased since 2000, I don't see why the consumer should have to bear the brunt of this error. Maybe they shouldn't have been spending all their stocks on this and that finish and creating Pink whisky.

This definitely seems like just a cash grab while the going is good. Additonally, it is feared that now that the smoking ban is in full effect in the UK, drinks might be the next target. Whether this is true or not, it cannot be denied that the many good years whisky has had of no tax increases on spirits is likely to be met with an imminent increase. Lucky for us, this will coincide with the 10% price increase. Again, this trend is much in line with premiumisation strategies and subsequently I imagine (and fear) a whole section of whisky drinkers will be edged out.

Right, enough of that rant. So, Balvenie...

Malt Master David Stewart is quite a legend in the whisky world and he has been responsible for some of the biggest brands in whisky for over 30 years. This is nothing new at William Grant and Sons, as Grant himself remained active at the distillery until he was 83. Balvenie is one of the largest distilleries in Scotland (although it is often overshadowed by its neighbour, Glenfiddich) and was used exclusively for blending until 1973 when it joined the emerging malt market, largely initiated by Glenfiddich. Today, about 50% of Balvenie's output is destined for blends.

In addition to what was said yesterday, the Grant's distilleries have their own cooperage and malt 10% of their needs in their own floor maltings. All of these factors make it an ideal distillery to visit as one can witness all the stages of whisky production on one site... a rare experience these days.

This particular expression is matured in traditional ex-bourbon hogsheads for a full 12 years and then put down for a further maturation in sherry buts for 9 months. Hence Double Wood.

Again, I express my gratitude to Wm Grant&Sons for sending me these samples.

TASTING NOTES:

Standing in a farmers market near fresh, ripe fruit. Hay. Marmalade. Apple and rhubarb pie. Gentle sherry and banana or strawberry sponge/foam candies.

Surprised by some smoke, beautifully integrated with sweet malt and sherry flavours. Spice and tobacco. It is creamy and toasty and fruity and... more please? Long lingering woodiness.

SUMMARY:

Quite different than I remember it. That is the fun, isn't it; you can't enjoy going through a whisky life saying "had it, had it, havent had it, had it..." A malt can change from year to year, but more importantly, YOU change from year to year. But yeah, this is different than I remember. Fuller finish and more oak. Mellow and rich, great toastiness and smoke that would absolutely stun the lucky drinker alongside (or as) a nice dessert after a big meal. Yum.

Malt Mission #111
Malt Mission #112
Malt Mission #113
Malt Mission #115

Malt Mission HOME

Malt Mission 2007 #113

Balvenie 10 yo
Founders Reserve
Speyside Single Malt Whisky
40% abv
£26
$45.20(CAD)
$40(USD)

Now here is packaging that we all hope sticks. After some years messing about with cognac style bottles, Balvenie has really found a good look that shouldn't join the current update packaging craze. We all hope they don't follow some ill-advised re-design campaign to 'get hip to the kidz'. Having worked in whisky retail I can assure them that the kids are alright. The look is still hot even if some folks around a table in a boardroom think otherwise.

But about the whisky...

"Balvenie Castle" has been the principal building of the Balvenie Distillery since it was established in 1892. A huge fire at Glenlivet in 1891 created a sudden demand for Speyside whisky for blending. Using equipment from Glen Albyn and Lagavulin, William Grant seizes the opportunity and builds a distillery adjacent to Glenfiddich. Distillation begins in May 1893.

Balvenie uses barley from the family farm that it malts in its own floor maltings. The stills are also unique in that they are, well. I dont know how to describe them. See them here. Balvenie is the 10th biggest single malt seller in the world, and to touch upon the point I opened with, this is a 90% increase in sales since the days of the cursive text and cognac bottles. (Okay, they have been gone since 1993, but still...)

Big thanks to William Grant & Sons for sending me the sample(s). We will have another tomorrow. All Balvenies had on the mission can be found HERE.

TASTING NOTES:

It's the smokiness that surprises me at first, then comes honey and fruit pastilles. A touch shy. Beef and barley soup. There is a green element in there alongside nuts and raisins, hinting at the slightest sherry influence.

Honey, bourbon oak, and malted barley. Then an explosion of toastiness upon swallowing, showing more of the sherry influence. Spices, outdoorsy freshness and general liveliness that really excites the mouth, physically.

SUMMARY:

Such a wonderfully integrated package of flavours, often too difficult to pinpoint particulars, the complexity and surging effect of lively flavours make this a real tasty treat. Gentle and complex, who needs the monkey; this is an ideal introduction to malt whisky.

Malt Mission #111
Malt Mission #112
Malt Mission #114
Malt Mission #115

Malt Mission HOME

North American Adventure #3

The weather has been very nice, the beer bubbly, and Kristin arrived Wednesday. Life is good.

These drams are from an afternoon spent with two 21 year olds. And an older, balder, and much more fun Frindian. Inder's notes are in quotation marks. Tasted at the LCBO Tasting Tower at Summerhill in Toronto.

Glenfiddich 21yo Gran Reserva
Rum Cask Finish
40% abv
£55
$149.95(CAD)
$120(USD)

The Glendiffich 21yo Gran Reserva is finished in rum casks and used to be called the Havana Reserve. Due to the US embargo on Cuban products the name was changed to Gran Reserva and many American retailers advertise that it is aged in Caribbean rum casks. Whatever.

This stuff won a gold medal at the 2006 IWSC

For more Glenfiddich distillery info go see Malt Mission #28

TASTING NOTES

Potpurri, unlit incense, vanilla and oak, cloves, BRIO or chinotto

"Thin and sweet". Oak explodes in the mouth with lime and brown sugar. "Grapes". White ones, chardonnay and oak paneling in a bar/tavern that has recently banned smoking.

SUMMARY

Our impressions were really positive, but the best adjective for the experience was "fine". Yeah, it is 'fine' whisky, no off-notes and lots of oaky flavours, but it didnt do too much for us. It is an elegant whisky in that all of its flavours are well integrated like a good sauce; nothing stands out but together the stuff goes well on rice, pasta, or bread. I guess we just coulda used some bread.

Balevenie 21yo Port Wood
40% abv
£55
$160.15 (CAD)
$130 (USD)


For more info on the Balvenie distillery, please look to future Malt Missions.

TASTING NOTES

I rarely note colour, but this one is distinctly pinkish in the glass. Smells of pina colada, orange Crush, creamsicles. "Red grapes and dusty books". Age and basement mustiness lurks beneath the sexy, creamy sweetness on top.

Mmmm... "Mmmmm..."
Great mouthfeel from all those years in bourbon casks. Deep and dark. "Coffee grinds." Lamb fat. Very little of what the nose suggests, but finishes with a balance of the two perceptions... quickly.

SUMMARY

Very tasty whisky that makes a happy camper out of anyone lucky enough to stick their nose in a glass of the stuff. Hard to get your nose out and actually drink the stuff, it is that interesting to smell. "Yup. Now let's go get a beer and a burger". Off to the Victory Café...

North American Adventure #1
North American Adventure #2
North American Adventure #4
North American Adventure #5

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