June 15, 2015

Little H2Hs, today Balmenach

Balmenach sure is good, honest malt whisky, but I’m not sure I could tell you much about its style. Well I’m sure I couldn’t.

Balmenach 14 yo 2001/2015 (51.9%, Liquid Treasures, refill sherry hogshead, 245 bottles)

Liquid Treasures already had a young Balmenach a few years ago. Colour: white wine. Nose: some young, flinty, porridgy, slightly yoghurty young malt, with a layer of clay and, perhaps, wet fabric. Chalk and grass as well as a little linseed oil. Paraffin, plasticine. With water: more of the latter, and even more grass. Cut cactus? Mouth (neat): a fine, sweet, grassy and malty malt. Some lemon, some chalk again, sunflower seeds, a touch of liquorice and lemon… In the background, some strong beer, reminiscent of Brewdog’s crazy – and quite bitter - cold-distilled ones. With water: much better in my opinion, with the citrus that comes out, lemons, grapefruits, apples, a touch of rhubarb… Got to love water for what it can do to some malt whiskies. Finish: long, grassy, lemony, still a bit bitter. Campari? Comments: needs water, that’s all I can say. Liquid Treasures also have a new Glen Garioch that I found quite superb (soon on WF). SGP:361 - 82 points.

Balmenach 1977/1997 (57.9%, Glenscoma, anniversary bottling, cask #6715, 288 bottles)

Colour: white wine. Nose: chalk everywhere, plus aspirin tablets, clay, cardboard, carbon paper, and just touches of smoky malt in the background. Very austere, but this baby may well need water as well. With water: dust and cardboard. Mouth (neat): same league as the 2001. Grapefruits, plasticine, grass, a touch of tequila, some earl grey tea, then a lot of bottled lemon juice. Do you have Pulco in your country of residence? With water: this time it’s the cardboard that comes to the front. No good. Finish: long, acrid, plasticky (a bit), paraffiny. Comments: a rather difficult whisky, I think, but if you like austerity and grass... SGP:271 - 75 points.

Check the index of all Balmenach I've tasted so far

Pete McPeat and Jack Washback