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

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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

A propos des notes de dégustation Your own tasting notes

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 Balmenach: independent bottlings

Balmenach
Old Malt Cask
20 years

Age
 20 years
Alcohol percentage
 50%
Bottler
 Hart Brothers
Particularity
 Non chill filtered
Price/litre
 =25 euros=25 euros=25 euros=25 euros=25 euros< 25 euros
Balmenach Old Malt Cask
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.
18/20
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.
19/20
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Balmenach
The Whisky in the Church Bottlings
1998-2008
Age
 10 years
Alcohol percentage
 57%
Bottler
 Jean Boyer
=25 euros=25 euros< 25 euros
Balmenach WitC 2008
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 Balmenach: samples
 

Balmenach
Hart Brothers
18 years

Age 18 years
Alcohol 43%
Bottler Hart Brothers
=25 euros=25 euros=25 euros< 25 euros
 
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)

 
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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.
18/20
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Balmenach: not in collection

Balmenach
Winter distillation
1999-2008
Provenance

Age
 8 years
Alcohol percentage
 46%
Bottler
 Douglas Laing
Balmenach Provenance

Comment by Johannes Sauer

Colour: White wine, or better vino verdhe.
Nose: Honey and soft fruits. Heather blossoms, almonds and soft malt (vanilla) in the back. Easy and a little unimportant.
Taste: Now white chocolate and again vanilla and some malt and caramel. All in all very soft and round. Nothing hurts but there are no surprises either. No trace of smoke neither in the nose nor the palate.
Finish: Here now the first soft surprise shows up: Soft traces of milky coffee with caramel syrup can be detected between the even sweetness and offer a bit of complexity. After the a litle bit disappointing nose this is a a conciliatory finish.
Conc.: A fine and pleasant highlander to fit any bugdet for those who like it mellow and a great whisky to seduce the lady of your heart who does not appreciate smoky malt whisky.

Tasting date: 10/06/2010
Price in Germany: 28,00 Euro
15/20

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