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

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Banff

Distillery description Tasting notes

The distillery

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

The whisky

A propos des notes de dégustation Your own tasting notes

List of the bottles

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Bannf: official bottlings

Banff
Rare Malts
Aged 21 years
Distilled in 1982


Age
21 years
Alcohol percentage
57,1%
Bottler
Official
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Banff Rare malts 21
A very fresh nose, with nice notes of cut grass, hints of spices (pepper) and a delicate fruity smell (a mix of green apple and ripe pear) which gives this whisky an interesting complexity and announces lots of pleasure in the palate. The first palate impression is that it is rather acid and the alcohol is very present. The taste developes gently on more woody hints, while remaining amazingly fresh. The fresh and lingering finish consists of a nice mix of citrus fruits and fine woody notes, with clear alcohol remains after a while.
18/20
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 Banff: independent bottlings
 

Banff
Chieftain's Choice
Aged 23 years


Age
23 years
Alcohol percentage
46%
Bottler
Ian McLeod
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 Banff Chieftains
 

23 years spent in a cask didn't give this whisky a wood taste, but gave this alcohol a surprising sweetness. Very pleasant from the very first nosing, the taste completely confirms the first impression. An excellent bottle. What a pity this distillery has been completely dismantled more than 10 years ago. If that distillery would still exist, we could probably still find very good malts for a reasonable price. The price indeed is the only negative aspect of this bottle, as it costs about 150 Euros for one litre...
19/20
A second tasting did not contradict the first one, but the result of the blind tasting was lower. Probably due to the tasting mood....
18/20
The nose detects nice fresh floral hints. In the palate, a very nice complexity, where woody notes (unlike the firs notes) are mixed with fruity and malty hints. A very nice balance and a finish developing from malt to walnut (probably due to the wood) or even chocolate.
18/20
The nose is quite marked by cereals with some yeast hints. Nice notes of vanilla come and brighten up this relatively smooth though rather austere nose.
The palate is some more interesting, though presenting a lack of complexity. Nice cereal notes with some hints of citrus fruit and a touch of smoke.
The finish is not too long but however rather pleasant and prolongs perfectly the mouth. This blind tasting notes are quite contrasting with others written earlier. Is this an effect of oxidation? This whisky certainly deserves another tasting.
17/20

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