Balblair
- OWNER: INVER HOUSE/INTERNATIONAL BEVERAGE COMPANY
- FOUNDED: 1790
- REGION: HIGHLANDS
Officially founded in 1790 but with roots going back to 1749, Balblair is one of the oldest distilleries in Scotland, well predating the 1823 liberalization of British distilling laws. In 1872 its owners, the Ross family, moved it a few miles away to be closer to a rail line. Like many distilleries, Balblair passed through several hands before ending up with Inver House (which itself has gone through several owners and is now a subsidiary of International Beverage Company, part of Thai Beverage Group). The distillery’s new make spirit is meaty and sulfury, but aging transforms that heaviness into fruit, toffee, and spice notes. In 2008 it began to release only vintage-dated expressions. This means it can be hard to keep track of what is available from Balblair year after year; what follows are reviews of some of the most common expressions available as of 2017.
Balblair
Vintage 2005
Barreled in ex-bourbon casks in 2005 and bottled ten years later; currently the youngest in the Balblair stable, replacing the 2003 vintage.
- PRICE $$ · RATING
- AGE 10 years old
- ALC/VOL 46%
- NOSE Bright and fresh, with vanilla, milk chocolate, and yeast rolls right out of the oven.
- PALATE Toasted coconut, yeast rolls, vanilla, floral, and sweet, honeyed malt. The finish is dry, with lingering vanilla notes.
- GENERAL More like a Speyside than its siblings. Water doesn’t change much, but it gives the honeyed malt a pretty polish.
Vintage 2002 FIRST RELEASE
Matured in ex-bourbon barrels and bottled at ten years old.
- PRICE $$ · RATING
- AGE 10 years old
- ALC/VOL 46%
- NOSE Sponge cake, honey, apple, sawdust, peat, and toffee; water turns it spicy, with apple flesh, white pepper, and perfume.
- PALATE Thick with honey cake, cinnamon, and bread, moving to a hot pepper mid-palate; water turns it sweeter, like spicy pears. The finish is on the brief side of medium-length; slightly dry, with lemon zest, vanilla, and bitter almonds.
- GENERAL A big, spicy whisky; slightly bitter, a bit sweet, and grainy. Better without water.
Balblair
Vintage 2003 FIRST RELEASE
Aged in second-fill ex-bourbon barrels and bottled at twelve years old.
- PRICE $$ · RATING
- AGE 12 years old
- ALC/VOL 46%
- NOSE Oranges, vanilla, coconut, lilies, and apple blossoms; water brings out crisp Granny Smith apples.
- PALATE Sweet and spicy; a medium mouthfeel that builds from a floral perfume entry to a hot, round mid-palate. Adding water brings out vanilla, honey, grain, and apple flesh. The finish is long, hot, and fruity.
- GENERAL Like a spicy Speyside, but a bit grainy for a twelve year old. It’s a tad on the narrow side, but still tasty.
Vintage 1999 SECOND RELEASE
Originally released for the travel retail market, the 1999 vintage is bottled at fifteen years old and aged in a mix of ex-bourbon barrels and Spanish oak ex-sherry butts.
- PRICE $$ · RATING
- AGE 15 years old
- ALC/VOL 46%
- NOSE Raisins, fruitcake, spiced apples, pancake batter, and toasted coconut; it gets funky and umami-like with water—mushrooms, ginger, and a vague meatiness.
- PALATE Toasted coconut, candied ginger, rich vanilla, spiced pears; water brings out stewed strawberries. The finish is fruity, spicy, and slightly drying.
- GENERAL A delicious drink, with typical north Highland characteristics; fans of Clynelish should seek this one out.
Balblair
Vintage 1990 SECOND RELEASE
Aged for twenty-one years in ex-bourbon barrels, then two more in oloroso sherry butts.
- PRICE $$$ · RATING
- AGE 21 years old
- ALC/VOL 46%
- NOSE Rich caramel, chocolate powder, stewed fruit, and vanilla extract; the sherry really comes through with water.
- PALATE A bit thin and funky, with a rum-like rancio note on top of raisins, rubber, oak, and a spicy mid-palate; it improves with water, showing less rancio and going deeper and sweeter. The finish is long and spicy, a bit tannic, and oaky.
- GENERAL Simply fantastic and an excellent value compared to other malts of similar age. Paradoxically, it’s a bit thin without water, but a few drops deepen and round it out substantially.