Scotland, Northern Highlands: Single malt whisky through the producing distilleries: history, making, production and tasting notes
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Balblair

Distillery description Tasting notes

The distillery

Balblair

For information about the distillery, please click on the photo.

Balblair: official bottlings
 

Balblair

Elements
Age
 8 years
Alcohol percentage
 43,0 %
Bottler
 Official
=25 euros=25 euros
links & average quote
 73/100
 
 

The colour is gold and the nose evokes a sea breeze. The whisky is slightly salted, with malted sweetness.
The taste is a bit dry, but smooth and has a nice texture.
It is quite a cheeky whisky, perfectly balanced between it slightly salted character and its malted sweetness.
The dry character of its finish remains very pleasant.

(la Maison du Whisky)

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.
74/100
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.
74/100
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...
74/100
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.
70/100

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Balblair

16 years
Age
 16 years
Alcohol percentage
 40,0 %
Bottler
 Official
=25 euros=25 euros
links & average quote
 79/100
 Balblair 16 yo
 The colour is gold with amber glints, the nose is full and refined but without complexity, and reveals citrus fruit (lemon), vanilla and ripe fruits hints.
The palate is precise and marked by smoked malted barley and some vegetal notes.
The finish has a vanilla character, and develops on bourbon and malt.
A pleasant whisky with multiple facets, evolution from fruit to smoke, malt and vanilla wood..

(la Maison du Whisky)

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.
84/100
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.
74/100
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...
84/100
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.
79/100
The nose is clearly marked by yeast hints and citrus odours. Combination of both smells gives it some complexity, but is quite far form being pleasant.
In the mouth, some metallic impression, mix of malt and (much) too ripe lemon.
The finish is long and the fragrances detected by the nose are still present here. Long finish, but this does not make it a pleasant one.

When I compared the (blind tasting) notes to the previous ones, I think that this whisky has lost most of its qualities, due to the fact that the bottle is opened since a (very) long time. This last notes might not reflect the real quality of this malt.
79/100

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Balblair

24 years
Age
 24 years
Alcohol percentage
 46,0 %
Bottler
 Official
Cask
 Bourbon
Dates
 Distil: 1979
Particularity
 Non chillfiltered
=25 euros=25 euros=25 euros=25 euros=25 euros
links & average quote
 88/100
Balblair 24 years old
Appearance: rich, golden honey
Nose: Medium to high intensity,. Slightly spicy with hints of vanilla and toffee
Palate: Medium bodied, lightly fruity with a medium smoky sweet oak finish.
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.
88/100
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...
88/100
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.
88/100
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.
88/100
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Balblair

Aged 38 years
Age
 38 years
Alcohol percentage
 44,0 %
Bottler
 Official
Cask
 spanish oak cask
Dates
 Distil: 1966
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links & average quote
 Forum 93/100
Balblair 38 ans
Appearance: Colour: Rich, deep golden brown, enriched with amber bronze highlights.
Nose: sweet and slightly spicy with hints of sherry and Christmas cake.
Palate: Full bodied with spicy overtones, followed by a hint of raisin and Christmas cake.
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.
92/100
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.
92/100
Very nice nose clearly marked by sherry with hings of biscuit and a touch of fruity bitterness. A hint of eucalyptus. This nose announces a great whisky anyway.
The mouth presents some woody bitterness mixed with beautiful fruity notes and some medicinal character. Spices are present too to achieve the whole image. Very interesting mouth but the nose was slightly more spectacular.
The finish is lingering and fresh, dominated by the same pleasant bitterness which characterised this whisky during the whole tasting.
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Balblair

Aged 33 years
Age
 33 years
Alcohol percentage
 45,4 %
Bottler
 Official
Particularity
 Non chillfiltered
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links & average quote
 91/100
Balblair 33
Color: Gold
Initially very fruity, the nose evolves rapidly on spices (pepper) and a number of different hints, sometimes wooded, sometimes slightly smoky. An ongoing pleasure. The nose is very nice too.
A very pleasant first impression in the mouth as well. Nice complexity on the palate too. Very fine woody notes and gently chocolate-like hints and subtly malty notes, a pleasure of every moment.
The finish is long and does not contradict nose nor mouth. Subtle notes of coffee seem to outweigh after a few minutes.
91/100
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Balblair: Independent bottlings

Balblair

Prenzlow Portfolio Collection 1975
Collection
 Prenzlow Portfolio collection
Age
 No age statement
Alcohol percentage
 46,2 %
Bottler
 Jack Wieber
Dates
 Distil: 1975
Bottle
 98 of 120 btls
=25 euros=25 euros=25 euros=25 euros=25 euros=25 euros=25 euros=25 euros
links & average quote
 84/100
Balblair Jack Wieber 1975
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.
84/100
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Balblair Samples

Balblair

Vintage 1979
Age
 No age statement
Alcohol percentage
 46,0 %
Bottler
 Official
Bottle
 0 of 0 btls
=25 euros=25 euros=25 euros=25 euros=25 euros=25 euros=25 euros=25 euros
links & average quote
 79/100
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.
79/100
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
79/100
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Balblair

Vintage 1989
Age
 No age statement
Alcohol percentage
 43,0 %
Bottler
 Official
=25 euros=25 euros=25 euros=25 euros
links & average quote
 79/100
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.
79/100
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.
79/100
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Balblair

Vintage 1997
Age
 No age statement
Alcohol percentage
 43,0 %
Bottler
 Official
=25 euros=25 euros
links & average quote
 79/100
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.
79/100
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.
79/100
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Balblair: not in collection

Balblair

27 years
Age
 27 years
Alcohol percentage
 46 %
Bottler
 Official
links & average quote
 83/100
Balblair 27 ans
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Balblair

1995-2010, exclusive for The Whisky Shop Dufftown
Collection
 Exclusive
Age
 15 years
Alcohol percentage
 59,8 %
Bottler
 Gordon & MacPhail
Cask
 Refill sherry hogshead
Cask number
single cask 1687
Dates
 Distil: 1995 Bottling: 2010
Bottle
 266 btls
Particularity
 Non chillfiltered cask strength
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links & average quote
 BT2011 87/100
Balblair Whisky Shop Dufftown
BT2011
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