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Balblair Distillery
Edderton, (Tain)
Ross-shire IV19 1LB
+44 1862 821 273

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Owner Inver House Distillers Ltd.

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Creation date 1790

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Photos

	Balblair
			sample
O.B.	16 years	17 2/5
	Elements	15 3/4
	Vintage 1997		17
	24 years, distilled 1979	19
	Vintage 1989		17
	Vintage 1979		17
	Aged 38 years	19
Jack Wieber	Prenzlow Portfolio Collection 1975	18

 

Balblair Elements
Age	8 years
Alcohol	43°
Bottler	Official
Price/litre

 

Very interesting example of a Northern Highlands whisky. It is rather surprising from the very first nosing. A mix of sweet sensations and sea salt. This malt is rather complex in the palate, but is slightly dominated by acidity. A finish of average length. I really recommand this whisky, and its quality-price ratio is very good.

The second tasting emphasized the malted and slightly salted hints. A finish of average length and a rather pleasant nose. A certain lack of complexity however, explains why the quotation remains unchanged.

Quite a pleasant but discrete nose, with some salty and malty notes, relatively plain with however some remote notes of fruit on the background. In the mouth, no surprise neither. A good whisky with malt hints and a salted taste. An average finish...

Quite a peppery nose marked by hints of barley mixed with some sea air. Apart of that, less or no surprise. Just a pleasant nose, nothing more. In the mouth, in addition to the watery feeling this malt leaves behind, some discrete bitterness, like a strange blend of honey and walnut leaving a deceiving impression. A clear lack of character. Both bitter and sickly sweet. The finish does not enhance the general level. The same strange bitterness remains for some short instants.

 

 

Balblair 16 years
Age	16 years
Alcohol	43°
Bottler	Official
Price/litre

 

This whisky is remarkable by its balance and sweetness and is extremely pleasant from the very first nosing. The nose detects a pleasant vanilla smell, which will be confirmed by the palate. Very sweet and delicate, the taste is excellent; A nice finish, but it could be longer. An excellent bottle for a reasonable price.

During the second tasting, the same remarks about the whisky. However (a question of mood?), the lack of complexity and surprise was experienced as dominant . So, the quotation from the first tasting has been amended. This bottle deserves certainly a ne tasting, as the difference between the two first ones is really to great.

Strange... During the third tasting, this bottle seemed very good again. Vanilla and malt, lemon and some smoke hints in the background. A very rich nose, a complex palate, and a very pleasant finish...

At the next tasting, the nose reveals nice undergrowth hints, wet earth, with some very discrete but nice vanilla hints on the background. The palate is rather marked by malted barley hints, with a kind of lack at complexity. A kind of monotonous impression, but not unpleasant. A chocolate impression with a hint of wood which comes back during the finish, mixed again with barley and a slight touch of bitterness.

 

Balblair 24 years Distilled 1979
Age	24 years
Alcohol	43°
Bottler	Official
Particularity	Non chill filtered
Price/litre

A very pleasant nose, with subtle pepper hints, mixed to some custard tart notes. In the palate, some slightly spicy chocolate notes, very complex, without any aggressiveness. A rather long finish, with toffee reminds, and a rare impression of happiness. A wonderful bottle.

The nose is very sweet, mixing vanilla to toffee with a hint of spices and a touch of bitterness. In the palate, the first feeling is some bitterness, developing on very complex notes, mixing wood, spices, black chocolate and malt with a very discrete touch of acidity. The finish is exceptionally long, pleasant and sweet. The bitterness (wood?) has disappeared but some remote slightly acid hints remain. What a trip...

A very nice nose, perfectly balanced between smoothness of vanilla and spices, with some nice hints of tangerin on the background. In the mouth, wonderful sweet vanilla and toffee touches, mixed to some smooth citrus hints, constantly moving from the one to the other through slightly woody notes, chocalate and spices. The whole nicely complex, one of the most beautiful palates I have experienced. A lingering finish, warm and sweet, but very present.

Quite a fresh nose with nice cereal notes at the first contact. An announced complexity, with mix of slightly acid citrus fruit fragrances and some discrete smoke. Discrete sea hints complete the whole.
The mouth seems clearly more interesting than the nose was. More depth, more colour. A mix of sober cereal and some exuberant tastes maiking a kind of firework in the palate.Vanilla, citrus fruit, cereals, the whole offering a very nice freshness in a remarkable balance. Quite a performance, this amazing mouth after this classical nose.
The finish seems to be made in the same wood as the mouth. Very expressive, very interesting. Lingering and fresh, passing all the tastes of the mouth in review again, before finishing on quite a bitter touch, bitter but with however a nice presence of vanilla.

 

Balblair 38 years Distilled 1966
Age	38 years
Alcohol	44°
Bottler	Official
Particularity	Non chill filtered
Price/litre

The nose is powerful and complex, revealing some very nice sherry notes with woody and spicy hints. Discrete notes of citrus fruit (orange zest) complete the already rich whole. In the palate, pleasant complex notes, going from citrus fruit to wood, through sherry, spices and malt, the whole being very refined and without any aggressiveness. A lingering with delicate woody touches finish. A very nice bottle, nicely marked by the many years passed in the cask, without however being dominated by the taste of the wood.

The nose is clearly marked by sherry, with a nice smell of plum jam behind. Light hints of iodine, a touch of sea air. Spices too.
Sherry has to share the attention in the mouth with slightly woody hints, still with this nice plum sensation and this touch of sea air on the background. Nice spicy touches as well.
The finish is great, with discrete hints of orange skin and an extremely fine woody impression. Simply a marvelous whisky.

Balblair Prenwloz Portfolio Collection 1975
Age	No age statement
Alcohol	46.2°
Bottler	Jack Wieber
Price/litre

The nose seem to result from quite an homogeneous mix of malt and citrus fruits, where separation of the different component is a kind of challenge. Some marshmallow, a bit of hay, great smoothness. Some wax as well.
In the palate, bitterness gets first the upper hand, promptly followed by citrus acid notes before developing on a find woody impression. Nice complexity, no aggressiveness at all and however no lack at character.
The finish is pleasantly long and slightly marked by alcohol. Nutty notes are clearly present with their bitterness.

Balblair Vintage 1979
Age	No age statement
Alcohol	46°
Bottler	Official
Price/litre

A very nice nose, very slightly medicinal with some discrete hints of eucalyptus and no lesser discrete notes of fine wood. A touch of bitterness amongst the fruity smells. The mouth is first relatively acid and fresh. Rather floral with some nice violet notes. Nice freshness. The finish is fresh too, but unfortunately too short and the floral hints are nicely present.

Nice floral fragrances at the nose. The nose is quite discrete and behind floral smells, some hints of ripe fruit and some medicinal touches. In the palate, a nice balance between very smooth fruity notes (banana?) and slightly acid and fresh hints. On the background some woody bitterness. The finish is rather sickly sweet with a memory of woody notes

Balblair Vintage 1989
Age	No age statement
Alcohol	43°
Bottler	Official
Price/litre

A very nice nose marked by nice fruity notes. Nice freshness for quite a complex nose, Floral notes appear after a while. The mouth is essentially dominated by malty tastes and is not really complex. Fortunately some slightly acid notes appear after a few moments. The finish is very short. The memory of this whisky disappears quickly.

Nice floral notes with light hints of dry fruits and a pleasant freshness. The mouth is smooth with hints of butter cream and quite clear vanilla hints. The finish is above all discrete... Very discrete hints of ripe fruit and some woody notes, and then.. nothing anymore.

Balblair Vintage 1997
Age	No age statement
Alcohol	43°
Bottler	Official
Price/litre

The nose reveals very perfumed and fresh floral fragrances. Hints of cut grass and fruits (peach) and a touch of marshmallow. The mouth is amazingly smooth with some strange floral notes, somewhere between the violet and the sweetness of marshmallow. Very nice sensation. The finish is a complete nonentity... Just some floral memories, nothing else. This is quite a pity as both the nose and the mouth were amazingly promising.

A clear but quite discrete floral nose. Some light hints of spices seem to appear after a few seconds. The palate is smooth. Smoothness close to sweetness. Nice fruity notes (over-ripe fruits) and rather discrete violet hints. Quite a nice palate, at least for those who like sweet whiskies. The finish length seemed clearly improved compared to the first tasting. The finish is marked by both the memory of the violet and light hints of chocolate.