Dram data:
Distillery:Â Balblair
Bottler: Gordon & MacPhail
Distilled:Â 14.01.1985
Bottled:Â 27.01.2015
Age: 30 years
Limitation:Â –
Casks:Â refill ex-bourbon barrels 245+246
Alcohol: 43%
chillfiltered and uncoloured
Whiskybase link
I know, I know – I’m really slow with reviewing whisky lately, so many bad nose days… So let’s make today count!
Tasting notes:
Colour: dark gold
The nose starts out very promising! My favourite style of dram, the marriage of fruits and oak only long periods of maturation in excellent casks can achieve! Where to start… We’ve got dark red apples, sweet pears, thickened sweet grape juice, an abundance of lychees in glucose syrup, sultanas, dried mangos and papaya, a hint of pickled ginger with a wee drop of orange juice, dark milk chocolate, a box of milk toffee with vanilla flavouring and a light cigar, all stored in an old oak cupboard polished with fresh beeswax. The 43% ABV make it ever so slightly watery, but it remains an absolutely stunning nose, defying all “age doesn’t matter” claims. This would be the whisky to convert the NAStivists (I totally just made that word up…). Let’s see if it holds up on the palate! Continue reading “Tasting: Balblair 30 yo 1985 – 2015 by Gordon & MacPhail”
