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Whisky Review: Balmenach 1970 12 Year Old Connoisseurs Choice

More famous these days for its gin production, Balmenach is a rather underappreciated and still hidden distillery.

OVERALL RATING

8
N/A
  • Phil Dwyer is a freelance whisky writer and consultant with over a decade of experience in whisky retail and online whisky education. Best known for hosting Whisky Wednesday on YouTube, he is dedicated to making whisky accessible and enjoyable by cutting through jargon and complexity.
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Tasting Notes

About:

More famous these days for its gin production, a huge sign outside states ‘the home of Caorunn Gin’ – Balmenach is a rather underappreciated and still hidden distillery. It typically provides a very tropical fruit distillate, but you’d be hard pressed to find a standard bottling of it anywhere. This style is an indie bottlers gem, really showcasing how heavy on fruit this highland style can be.
Appearance:
Golden mercury
Nose:
A very gristy, malty style of Balmenach. I’ve only ever known this to be super tropical in the past. There are some creeping green fruit notes rising up, classic pear, green apple, and almost a sour apple type of sweetness. Letting it open up for another fifteen minutes has turned this thing into a boozy lemon drizzle cake! So much fresh lemon zest and royal icing.
Palate:
Not the continuing sweetness from the nose, this is a lot chewier and thicker than you would asusme. Back are these grist notes of finely ground barley, you could even push for some cognac/sherry notes that wonder around the back the tongue.
Finish:
Now we have the apple notes back but in the form of cider or scrumpy. This is very much a farm yard style of highland whisky.
Comments:
Wasn’t expecting any of this; the whole whisky is quite a journey of farm yard flavours and smells. Very different to what I classically know of Balmenach.

Editor’s Note: This whiskey was either bought as a sample by The Whiskey Wash or provided to us as a review sample by the party behind it. Per our editorial policies, this in no way influenced the outcome of this review.

Phil Dwyer

Phil Dwyer is a freelance whisky writer and consultant. With a decade of experience in whisky retail and nearly as long running Whisky Wednesday on YouTube, Phil is dedicated to sharing his knowledge and enthusiasm with fellow whisky lovers. His goal is to make whisky accessible and enjoyable, dispelling the jargon and complexity that can sometimes surround the spirit. In addition to his online presence, Phil managed The Whisky Shop Manchester, where he curated an impressive selection of some of the finest drams available.

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