
February 2, 2021

Balblair, Switzerland vs. Belgium

Nah that doesn't make any sense, but indeed we'll have a Balblair for Switzerland and another one from Belgium. Remember we think tremendously highly of that tremendous fruit-bomb called Balblair (S., he's gone!)

Balblair 18 yo 2002/2020 (51.7%, Single Malts of Scotland, Elixir Distillers, for The Nectar, hogshead, cask #20100, 200 bottles)

Balblair 18 yo 2002/2020 (51.7%, Single Malts of Scotland, Elixir Distillers, for The Nectar, hogshead, cask #20100, 200 bottles)
So the Belgian. Colour: straw. Nose: dipping your nose into a large glass of fruiticello. Indeed that doesn't exist yet but let's be creative and say that it would include citrus juice, melon juice, passion fruit juice and mango juice, plus a bottle of Absolut and a spoonful of agave syrup. With water: fresh baguette and chalk and porridge are up, but we're still having a huge quantity of fruiticello. Mouth (neat): oh so very Balblair! In truth I can't wait to bring it down to 45% vol. as I believe that's this make's ideal strength. For the time being, there are tiny touches of peary nail polish and varnish, which is absolutely normal. With water: yes, there, much better. Bananas and pineapples are chiming in, also starkrimsons and kiwis. Lemon squash, lemonade, and welcome hints of green walnuts to prevent it from becoming overly fruity. Yes that may have happened. Finish: medium, superbly fruity, rather on a banana and tangerine combo. Green walnuts and cinnamon in the aftertaste. Comments: a wonderfully structured ueber-fruity Balblair, a bit in the style of some 1970s Benriachs. Loves water. We're very close to perfection.
SGP:751 - 88 points.

Balblair 9 yo 2011/2020 (56.3%, Whisky Is The Limit and Bar du Nord, 1st fill oloroso sherry barrel finish, cask #800129/2011, 298 bottles)
It's been a 2 year finish, so almost double-maturation, although I'm afraid no one's ever come up with a proper definition of what's a finishing vs double maturation. Colour: gold. Nose: oh, after the fresh fruits we're rather having the pastries and other fine specialties made thereof, first and foremost cassata and that thing we call 'brie au kirsch', which is not cheese at all mind you. Whiffs of warm focaccia, a touch of concrete and metal polish, walnut wine, blond pipe tobacco (I remember Amsterdamer), cherry stem tea… I find this nose awesomely complex, so far, this baby clearly stands up to the fruit bomb. With water: what a glorious sherry barrel! Looks like they've used good quality oloroso here, from a good tonneleria. Unless it came straight from a Scottish cooperage. Anyway, the nose didn't change much, it just became even more complex and with rather more citrus, and mosses… Mouth (neat): notes of eucalyptus and perhaps myrtle, a very curious earthiness, surely many walnuts, a little mustard, grapefruits, some kind of spicy cough medicine, crunching pine needles… It's very singular and most lovable. I would have believed this was ex-Madeira wood. With water: works but you have to be careful and not make it a tad too leafy and leathery. Finish: long. Herbal teas, zests, nutmeg, cinnamon… And myrtle. We've come full circle. Comments: we're extremely close to perfection. If you like dry Madeira wine…
SGP:561 - 89 points.

Check the index of all Balblair we've tasted so far