Speyside’s future: a trio of Ballindalloch single malt
The Spirit of Speyside Festival comes to an end today, and that deserves a fully packed farewell session with a trio of Ballindalloch single malt whisky. Even though the 21st century is marked by whisky distilleries popping up like mushrooms, for such a big whisky producing region as Speyside the increase in production facilities has been rather modest. From the top of my head I can name Cabrach and The Cairn, perhaps Dunphail, and of course Dalmunach. Should we still count Roseisle (est. 2009) as a newcomer? That is about it, isn’t it? In the meantime we wait for Dallas Dhu to be fully in production again.
Let us focus on Ballindalloch then! This was one of the first “barley to bottle” distilleries opened in Scotland, in 2014. Everything is done locally. Producing somewhere near 100.000 litres per year, there is not a lot of liquid available, but since a while we are seeing bottles on the shelves. Last year, we tasted a sherried expression, today we will kick off with a sherry/bourbon mix, before moving on to two bourbon single casks at rocket fuel strength!
Ballindalloch 2015, Vintage Release, bottled at 48,5 % abv
First things first: Just 1200 bottles were made of this Vintage Release 2015, a vatting of bourbon and sherry casks. This bottle was intended for the Benelux markets (Belgium, Netherlands, Luxemburg). Bottled in 2024.
Upon Sipping: The colour is extremely light, so I wonder what the sherried content of this bottling was. Powerful entry when you bring your nose close to the glass. Lots of eau de vie, with pear, vanilla, apples and “yellow” hints of banana. Some leaves for good measure. A sunny Speysider! Taking a sip will bring you a big reward. The mouthfeel is excellent on vanilla and soft wood smoke. Very clean and barley-forward. Great display of the locally grown ingredient, without – I have to say – much input from the sherried element. The nose gets more fruity every time you return to the glass, giving me faint memories of upper echelon Glenfiddich. Remains close to the peers and apples in the basket
Word to the Wise: Ballindalloch at 10 to 12 years of age will set a beautiful standard for what clean and unhurried Speyside single malt whisky should be. Excellent balance. This 9 year old shows the progress to that point. Almost there, perhaps lacking some dangerous sides. This is mellow.
Score: 84 points.
Ballindalloch 2016, Benelux Exclusive, bottled at 59,2 % abv
First things first: Distilled on 21 January 2016 and put into bourbon barrel # 31 to mature for 8 years, eventually being bottled on 30 January 2024. Again, a release for the Benelux markets.
Upon Sipping: Purely bourbon, so even more forward on the pears and apples that we found in the Vintage Release. Some ozone and summer dust in the air, like wind over a field of barley. Does that paint a Speyside picture for you? More nosing is difficult at this strength, so we will diluted in a second. First a sip as it is. That comes on surprisingly smooth, until the alcohol starts numbing the senses and we have to swallow. The exit is clean on delicate wood smoke and beautiful vanilla. We are starting to notice that Ballindalloch has an oily spirit that can stand up to a cask with elegance. When we bring it down a notch, we get a concentrated hit of pear juice and light vanilla. These fruity notes play well together. On the palate, it becomes a tad too mundane, with too much vanilla, maybe some nutty flavours, but not much else.
Word to the Wise: Light and delicate spirit in the right cask can yield great results. I was not a fan of the one sherry release of Ballindalloch that I tried last year, but this bourbon cask is pleasing. All it needs now, is time. Releasing these casks at a young age will not continue to please forever. The family Macpherson-Grant might be willing and able to wait another 8 years now?
Score: 82 points
Ballindalloch 2016, Benelux Exclusive, bottled at 61,1 % abv
First things first: Distilled on 14 January 2016 and put into bourbon barrel # 5 to mature for 8 years, eventually being bottled on 31 January 2024. Again, a release for the Benelux markets, and a yield of 235 bottles.
Upon Sipping: Basically the same as cask # 31, perhaps with a bit more creamy and floral notes. On the taste, we notice some difference, as this cask brings more sugary notes to the front. Upon swallowing, the vanilla is also larger than life. All in all, more balanced and smoother to drink. With water we get more green apples and tree branches in a dark forest. Yes, this cask certainly delivers more entertainment by being more diverse. On the palate and the finish, I pick up a more waxy character, with some honeyed notes as well.
Word to the Wise: Of the two single casks, this is the one I prefer. One conclusion after tasting all three expressions today is that Ballindalloch is not the easiest malt to get into. It fights back, and invites you to play around with water to make it suitable to your palate. The potential is there, and we will follow the progress. Looking at the RRP, I think it is fair to say these bottlings are greatly overpriced, and I would not be surprised if you will see these bottles with discounts sooner or later.
Score: 84 points.
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