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

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Speyside:

Balmenach

Distillery description Tasting notes

The distillery

(Picture: courtesy of Ingvar Ronde, Malt whisky yearbook)

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

The whisky

List of the bottles

	Balmenach
			Sample
Douglas Laing	Old Malt Cask, 20 years	18 1/2
Jean Boyer	Best Casks of Scotland 1999 (version diluée du Witch bottling)		18
	The WitC's Bottlings 1999	18
Hart Brothers	Hart Brothers 1979

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Balmenach Old Malt Cask 20 years
Age	20 years
Alcohol percentage	50%
Bottler	Hart Brothers
Particularity	Non chill filtered
Price/litre

Some clear peat hints and a woody smell characterize this promising whisky. After a few minutes, some fruity notes and a touch of acidité (citrus fruits) appear. In the palate, a strange mix of peat and citrus, rather complex where hints of smoke are present without being dominating. A nice finish, marked by the fruits, and smoke is coming back later on.

A very clear, spicy, fresh nose, with both fruity hints and menthol aromas. Some lemon on the background. Nice complexity. Really a very pleasant nose announcing a great whisky. The mouth is surprising, slightly medicinal, very fresh with aromatic herbs and a touch of wood. A kind of acidity dominates the palate and fine woody notes come and complete it. Some chocolate hints as well. The finish is first woody before developing on malt. A touch of smoke too. It is smooth and rather long.

Balmenach The Whisky in the Church Bottlings 1998-2008
Age	10 years
Alcohol percentage	57%
Bottler	Jean Boyer
Price/litre

Balmenach Hart Brothers 18 years
Age	18 years
Alcohol	43%
Bottler	Hart Brothers
Price/litre

A bright coloured malt, deep body, rich and sweet. Aromas of nuts and wild flowers. Balmenach shows very light traces of peat. Dry finish.

(sample received during a visit to Hart Brothers)

Balmenach Best Casks of Scotland (version 43% WitC bottling) 1998-2008
Age	10 years
Alcohol percentage	57%
Bottler	Jean Boyer

The nose is rather fresh despite some yeast hints. A touch of mint. Discrete floral fragrances.
The mouth is nicely acid, with smooth citrus fruit notes. Some discrete hints of dried fruit.
The finish prolongs the mouth. Rather short but pleasant.

Last update: Monday, 21-Dec-2009 17:12:09 CET
Mon 15 03 2010, 20:25 - 44 visiteurs au cours de la dernière heure et 12 visiteurs sur le site en ce moment.
Copyright:Jean-Marie Putz (2003-2007)

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