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

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Speyside:

Banff

Distillery description Tasting notes

The distillery

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

The whisky

List of the bottles

	Banff
O.B.	Rare Malts 21 years	18
Ian McLeod	Chieftain's Choice 23 years	18

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Banff Rare Malts Aged 21 years Distilled in 1982
Age	21 years
Alcohol percentage	57,1%
Bottler	Official
Price/litre

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.

Banff Chieftain's Choice Aged 23 years
Age	23 years
Alcohol percentage	46%
Bottler	Ian McLeod
Price/litre

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...

A second tasting did not contradict the first one, but the result of the blind tasting was lower. Probably due to the tasting mood....

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.

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.

Last update: Monday, 21-Dec-2009 17:12:10 CET
Thu 29 07 2010, 18:05 - 95 visiteurs au cours de la dernière heure et 11 visiteurs sur le site en ce moment.
Copyright:Jean-Marie Putz (2003-2007)

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