Country: Scotland
Region: Speyside
Brand: The Balvenie Single Barrel
Type: Single Malt Whisky
Age: 15 Years
ABV: 47.8 %
Colour: Golden Honey
Nose: Sweet Creamy Fruit and Floral Tones appear at first with Nectarine, Orange-Liqueur, Honey and Heather. The Alcohol is not sufficiently integrated and stings a little. I also get Vanilla, Toffee, light Oak, Wax, Nuts, Malt, Milk-Chocolate, Cinnamon, Butter and a hint of Aniseed.
Palate: Sweet with Orange, Nectarine, Marzipan, Vanilla, light Oak, Pepper, Cinnamon, Honey, Juicy Barley, Lemon Peel and Aniseed.
Finish: Middle-Long, Sweet, Fruity, Spicy and Waxy with Juicy Barley, Honey, Heather, Orange, Nectarine, Peach, Butterscotch, Caramel, Nuts, Pepper, Cinnamon, Ginger, Aniseed and light Licorice.
With a bit of water the Alcohol retreats and I think that 43% would have been the correct ABV for this Single Malt. Other than that the Single Barrel does not change significantly with added Water. You get more Barley and Honey on the Nose and some extra Licorice and Spices in the Finish. Just add a few drops at the time to find out what suits you best. Personally I prefer it neat.
Rating: 85
Nose: 21.5 - Taste: 21 - Finish: 21 - Overall: 21.5
General Remarks: The 15 Year old Single Barrel matures in a Single Ex-Bourbon Cask of a Single Distillation. Each Cask is selected by David Stewart, the Balvenie's Malt Master. It's a great pity that the Miniature Bottle I'm reviewing today does not contain any information with regards to Cask Number, Bottle Number and Distillation. Each Cask will turn out slightly different of course but I understand that David Stewart tries to maintain similar characteristics throughout the years. The Balvenie distillery was founded in Dufftown in 1892 by William Grant. It is still in the hands of the Grant family. The Balvenie lies at the heart of the Grants's Family Reserve Blend. The 15 Year Single Barrel is sold at around 90 US Dollars.
Drinking Experience Neat: Sweet but Good.
Conclusion: My Tasting Notes can only be an indication as I don't have any specific information on Cask #, Bottle # and dates of Distillation and Bottling. The miniature I'm reviewing today forms part of a gift set that also includes the
12 Years Double Wood and the 21 Years Port Wood. I really don't think the 15 Years Single Barrel is a whole lot better than the 12 Double Wood so I don't think the 15 Y SB is good value for money. The Alcohol is not sufficiently integrated. It's also quite Sweet from Nose to Finish. However if you love Orange Liqueur and Crepes Suzettes this might be the perfect Single Malt to enter the world of Whisky. For the rest of us, the 12 Year DW will do just as fine!
Jan van den Ende November 21, 2013
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