Two Balblair head to head at 16 years old
Two Balblair samples on the table today, and since both of them are more or less of the same age, we tried them together. Balblair has slipped under the radar again, so it seems, right around the time a rather unimaginative rebranding was done. They brought back the age stated labels and ditched the charming vintage releases. Coincidence or not, the chatter around the brand has died down ever since. Maybe the vintage statements made them stand out in the crowd? Owner Inver House kept the distinct bottle and used 46 % abv as their bottling strength, so nothing wrong there. But numbers do not lie. With or without vintages on the label, Balblair is the least selling brand in the Inver House portfolio. Anyway, we are whisky nerds in optima forma, and we like to drink the stuff. Let’s see how we fare!
Balblair 2006 – Hand Bottling done at 50,3 % abv
First things first: This is a distillery exclusive filled in 2022, so roughly 16 years old. I only know the cask number which is # 538, but I guess this was a bourbon cask.
Upon Sipping: It is absolutely beautiful, with well-balanced vanilla and overripe apples. Lemon drizzle on a sponge cake. Some mint, pine needles, and a whiff of high quality oak. The nose is ramped up to maximum volume, excellent. The arrival on the palate is oily, sticky, like fudge, before the tannins put a strong mark on the overall character. Almost a bit overly oaked, but somehow this Balblair Hand Bottling keeps its cool. Very decent balance. With a drop of water, the Balblair settles in a serene attitude. It now smells like a field of rapeseed alongside a quietly flowing burn. Everything about this breathes “highlands”, you can see the mountains in the distance, but you are down in the valley enjoying the midday sun. Poetic whisky! The water does however provide a rougher edge on the finish now, but the taste remains luscious and rewarding.
Word to the Wise: An excellent Hand Bottling from the Balblair Distillery, which excels the simple premise of vanilla driven malt whisky into just a notch extra power. The nose is spectacular.
Score: 87 points.
Balblair 2008 SMWS 70.61, bottled at 54,6 % abv by the SMWS
First things first: Distilled on 5 February 2008 and bottled as a 16 years old by SMWS. This Balblair got a finish in a second fill STR Oloroso Barrique. Yield of 216 bottles.
Upon Sipping: The label speaks of a truly tropical forest, so let’s see. At first whiff, this seems quite right. Hints of mango, passion fruit and a pulpy combination of both, while the sherry notes rub off on the Balblair malty character. Some raisins, a little orange zest, but all a bit subdued. We have a feeling water will reveal more nuances. An undiluted sip brings on a rather sour experience, with a nasty alcoholic burn on the finish. The tongue starts tingling too, and not in a good way. Oh dear, this perhaps needed some more rounding out. Don’t get me wrong, it has power and charm, but you need to like rough rides. Water does not make it easier to nose this sample, as the abv keeps on fuming. On the nose, I do pick up that same minty note as I did on the Hand Bottling. A little dilution does not harm the palate though, quite the contrary, it makes this Balblair SMWS more accessible. Still, it remains a tad too spicy for my taste.
Word to the Wise: Quite a spicy and hot Balblair, with some charming nuances from the oloroso barrique. Not an easy one to handle, but those who like to wrestle with their whisky might find this appealing.
Score: 83 points.