The Balblair 15 yo is non-chill-filtered and natural colour. It was aged in Ex-Bourbon casks and finished in first-fill Spanish oak butts. Balblair distillery is owned by Inver House Distillers. The second whisky in the Balblair Collection, Balblair 15 Year Old is a full-bodied, velvety single malt that has been matured in ex-bourbon casks and finished in first-fill Spanish oak butts. This creates a rich, sweet whisky with spicy aromas of honey, gingerbread and prunes. The palate is velvety-smooth and full of dark chocolate, tropical fruit and warm spice notes.

As one of the oldest working distilleries in the Scottish Highlands, Balblair has a long and rich history of crafting premium single malt Scotch whisky. Our new collection is intrinsically linked to our heritage and is testament to the place and the people behind our whisky, while being emblematic of our ‘True Highland Spirit’.” Balblair 10 yo (43%, Gordon & MacPhail, MacPhail´s Collection, American oak hogsheads, +/-2020) - 280423 Every Scotch whisky distillery is different. From its location and water source, to its still shape and wood policy. These are all determining factors in how a whisky tastes. Balblair 18 Year Old is the third whisky in the Balblair Collection, which has been matured in ex-bourbon casks before being finished in first-fill Spanish oak butts. The result is an alluring, rich and autumnal, single malt with a rich toffee and pear aroma, hinting at warm spices and leather. The palate offers notes of ripe apricots and raisins balanced by toasted oak and vanilla custard, before a long, warming finish filled with hints of fresh spices. Personal tasting notes ( Official sample kindly provided by Balblair through Burt Greener Communications)Nose: Cherry and demerara sugar give off a syrupy quality to the dram. Fresh garden mint and toffee meet in the middle. Near the end, the aroma of orange and nutmeg is found. Balblair 1993/2017 (49.6%, Gordon & MacPhail, Cask Strength, first fill sherry puncheon, cask #1964) - 101018

Balblair 15 year old is aged in ex-bourbon barrels and finished in 1st fill Oloroso Sherry casks. It is bottled at 46% abv at a minimum 15 years. The new core range of Balblair is non-chill filtered, which is a good thing to have for this whisky. How Does This Taste?It is time to look at the second sample that I received from Balblair when they launched their new age statement releases. First up was the Balblair 12 yo single malt whisky which was a great start to the new range and a perfect introduction to the Balblair Distillery house style. Today I look at the Balblair 15 yo single malt whisky. This release was first matured in ex-bourbon casks before being finished in first-fill Spanish oak butts. Today, this stone reflects our dedication to craftsmanship. We honour century-old traditions by distilling at our own naturally considered pace, creating a whisky that is warm, elegant, and understated. The taste is enduring and full of character, just like those who make it and those discerning enough to drink it.” Balblair makes use of several varieties of barley with minimal peat levels of 1-2 PPM, The company’s silos have a 30 tonne collective capacity, which means that the distillery can continue to operate self-sufficiently for up to 3 weeks even under the worst winter conditions. At Balblair, one tonne of barley is turned into just over 400 litres of spirit and about 1.3 million litres of new make spirit is produced annually.

The nose has raisins and dusty malt, which is way more refined than its 12-year-old sibling. Cookie dough, sweet red apples, grapefruit zest and almond creates a joyful experience. The palate is oily and mouth-filling with dates, ginger and cinnamon cake. It carries a strong malty feeling with ripe stone fruits. The balance of spiciness and sweetness is well adjusted. The finish is very long with light tobacco aromas, orchard fruits, coffee, dried dates, traces of cranberries, dry Sherry and nutmeg. Verdict It was December 2019 when I first tasted the new Balblair 15 Year Old talking to my good friend Steph Ridgway. I never thought that Whisky Fest New York would be the last event for us to chat around. 3 months after that day, the pandemic started and changed the world. It also had an impact on the releases for the relaunch of Balblair's Core Range. I already reviewed Balblair 12 Year Old Single Malt from the range. Balblair 1986/2017 (49.5%, Gordon & MacPhail, Cask Strength, for Whisky Show Old & Rare 2017, refill sherry hogshead, cask #12649) - 050318The following indicators should be taken as only a guide and not a set of hard and fast rules. Some "premium" whiskeys really are quite terrible, while some mass market products are good enough to pour into a decanter and serve to the Duke of Edinburgh. A+: A masterpiece and one of the ten best whiskeys of its type. Above five stars. In short, the maturation period has created a well-rounded layered classic dram. The creaminess and the spiced fruity notes make it very accessible, at a reasonable price point.

We may sell, license, transfer, assign or in any other way dispose of the Service (including Members) to any third party without any notification to you, e.g. (but without limitation) in connection with any reorganization, restructuring, merger or sale, or other transfer of assets. Records the default button state of the corresponding category & the status of CCPA. It works only in coordination with the primary cookie. In early 2019, Balblair’s core range received a relaunch, moving away from releasing special limited vintage bottlings, which had been their focus since 2007, launching instead a core range of age statemented whiskies with an emphasis on super premium quality. At the time, Inver House Distillers described the move as ‘a new era for Balblair.’

History

Being located near the banks of the beautiful Dornoch Firth, while sitting in the shadow of craggy Struie Hill, in the Northern Highlands of Scotland, means that rarely will you encounter a distillery set in more scenic and unspoilt surroundings than Balblair. Finish: A medium-long, mellow finish, with enduring notes of creamy vanilla and citrus led fruitiness, with warmth and a little dryness from enticing wood and spice. No partnership, joint venture, agency, or employment relationship is created as a result of your use of the Service. In the Glencairn glass, this whisky has a coppered look to it. Seeing as how that is somewhat darker than what I expect from even a 15 year old malt, I’m attributing it to the first-fill Spanish oak butts, with the fresher wood putting more color in. Palate: The dram has a honey-like sweetness to it but is not syrupy compared to the nose. Orange segment and dried cherry fill out the middle. It is earthy near the end with some peat. However, it has a dry, oaky finish similar to mulch or barkdust.