Balvenie Founder's Reserve 10 Year

While the version pictured here is now rare, there are even scarcer iterations that preceded it. My sample was from a 1980s era release that came in a 1 liter Cognac-style bottle seen here: https://www.whiskybase.com/whiskies/whisky/52403/balvenie-founders-reserve. Perhaps whisky needed to pretend it was Cognac back then to command attention. It really shouldn’t have required any help given how excellent its contents are. The nose is more expressive than I typically find on a Balvenie, with honey and floral notes. Milky toffee flavors dominate the palate with an intensity that belies the 43% ABV and linger into the very long finish. There’s a touch of a bone dry white wine to the aftertaste as well. Quite delicious and very different from a modern Balvenie. I wish I had more.

Incredibly powerful chocolate and raisin aroma. Flavor is unbelievable and the finish just goes on and on with baking chocolate and dried dark fruit. This whiskey seems to be better after a few months opened in the bottle.

Opened this bottle at a mates as he only had Peary ones, he didn’t know where he got it from - pure gold, Google’s it the next day and fell over at the £££, lovely dram, steep £ due to being discontinued

Strong aroma of honey like mead, sherry, a bit of smoke. Clove. Hint of butterscotch aroma, green apples? maybe some orange or marmalade hints in the nose.

Wonderful, smooth, easy drinking single malt. Rounded fruity flavours once it's opened up with some ice

Very very smooth for a scotch whisky but no much finish unfortunately.