Balblair 12 Year

A lovely dram to sip that does not have much depth, not very memorable and overpriced, in my opinion. The nose: first pull is overwhelmed with citrus and spice, not a pairing I like. After allowing it to breathe, a deeper pull does bring some vanilla, nuts and honey. The palate: faint orange, spice, honey, more spice, and some tingling spice with… well spice. It is very delicate and you truly have to let it sit to discover what’s going on. No depth at all, it is nice to sip and test your palate to discover what is happening behind the spice. Be careful, it doesn’t last long except for the spice and heat. The finish: a saving Grace here, this dram has the right amount of “that oily taste & texture” which does wonders IMO. It’s slaps my tongue on the way down with a nice amount of honey, but this quickly fades and the spice is left. It’s an easy drinker, but for me the spice is too much here. Lovely light flavours, but overpowered by the chilli. At the price point I will not be buying this bottle, I’d much prefer my ABG’s for similar profile at better value. (Aberfeldy, Balvenie, Glenfiddich).

Quite a mild nose to this drop, some soft subtle vanilla and coconut. Struggling to get the palette here because I’ve just smashed some Lindt 90% dark chocolate before this (they don’t work well together) and there is a harsh spice left. The texture is smooth and oily however and the finish is long and pleasant. Very warming. I’d imagine this being a lovely one for a cold winters evening sat by a fire 🔥

On the nose, you get dense honey and buttery oak. The palate is a long-lasting combination of barley, cream, vanilla, and banana. It reminds me of the Glenmorangie Cadboll Estate 15yr, but dare I say more rich. In terms of length of finish, I’d have to give the edge to the Cadboll. This tastes like a classic Speyside, though it’s advertised as a highland style. Solid, underrated, affordable scotch.

The nose has cereal, mint and biscuit notes, along with a floral undertone. The arrival brings intense orchard fruits, and toffee and brown sugar in spades. A strong note of almond emerges in the development and finish. A great example of bourbon cask maturation - a real toffee bomb. And, for now at least, fantastic value.

Nose: Sweet, fresh, lemon, toffee Palate: Hotter than I’d expected from the nose. Apple sweetness, vanilla, spice and liquorice. Finish: Short, more spiciness a little sourness right at the end. Overall, this is a decent sipper. It’s not a particularly remarkable dram, but it is a pleasant summer whisky.

Smells like an above average Speyside, which I know is a lazy description. Taste matches too, but with emphasis on the above average part. It's super woody, tons of barrel flavor, raspberry sweetness on top. Excellent, I'm impressed.