Balvy 1989 The Whisky Jury 35 yo

 

 

 

52°

Distillery : The Balvenie - Speyside

Refill Hogshead

Independent Bottling 

By The Whisky Jury

Limited Edition 

Blended Malt 

Bottled in 2025

Unchillfiltered, Uncoloured, Cask Strength

Totally Unpeated

 

 

 

Among the recent releases from The Whisky Jury is this teaspooned Balvenie, which means that a tiny amount of another whisky has been added to a Balvenie cask. This makes it a Blended Malt, and it’s cheaper. I’m all for this sort of thing to ease the strain on my wallet. 278 bottles have been put on sale.

 

 

 

Let's Taste It : 

A variety of cereals, coated in butter, drizzled with honey. Ground almonds, candied vanilla, floral hints, subtle mineral notes. Freshly ploughed earth, cigar box, Armenian paper. Juicy citrus fruits, mirabelle plums, mashed bananas, pear crumble, lavender. On the palate, it is pulpy and honeyed. Ripe plums, greengage jam, egg yolk, brioche. Lemon fondant. Lively spices, cumin, clove. A very long, woody finish, full of wax, ganache biscuit, olive oil. White grapes. 

 

In Short, 

It’s very interesting, the nose and finish in particular are fantastic. It’s less rounded and honeyed than the Balvenie’s official bottlings, and has more of a malty, fruity and oaky character. In a word, it’s more varied and subtle. It’s an excellent bottling, and the price is very reasonable for a 35-year-old. If you’re a fan of this style and can afford it, don’t hesitate. 

Score : 90

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                           To Be Listened While Sipping : 

 

                                           Poppy Ackroyd - For Those Who Wait

Sideburn 1993 Whisky Sponge Edition N°95 31 yo

 

 

 

51,4°

Distillery : The Balvenie and another secret one - Speyside

1st Fill and 2d Fill Bourbon Barrels

Independent Bottling 

By Decadent Drinks 

Limited Edition 

Blended Malt 

Bottled in 2024 

Unchillfiltered, Uncoloured, Cask Strength

Totally Unpeated 

 

 

 

This Blended Malt was originally designed by the William Grant & Sons group, owners of 5 distilleries to my knowledge: Girvan, Ailsa Bay, Kininvie, Glenfiddich, and The Balvenie. Burnside is the brand name of an American Bourbon, and it's also a Campbeltown distillery that existed in the 19th century, now closed. But above all, it's the name used to designate teaspooned Balvenie, so that connoisseurs can recognise it. So there's definitely some Balvenie in there. The other distillery is more difficult to identify. It can't be Girvan, because they don't make malt, or Ailsa Bay, which wasn't open in 1993. So it can only be Glenfiddich or Kininvie. I'm leaning towards the latter, as it's the main ingredient in Monkey Shoulder Blend. And when you get Monkey Shoulder (typical shoulder pain for whisky distillery workers), your side burns. This is just a hypothesis. What is certain is that it is a blend of two casks, a 2d Fill Barrel dating from 1992 and a 1st Fill Barrel dating from 1993. The result produced 404 bottles and is already sold out.

 

 

 

Let's Taste It : 

First, a lovely airy freshness, then we plunge into pulpy fruits, cereals, a delicate woodiness, liquid honey, green apples, dates, yellow plums, mirabelles, pastry cream, almond paste, powdered chocolate. All sorts of citrus fruits, lemon, pineapple, grapefruit. On the palate, beeswax galore, intense vanilla, exotic fruits, clementines. Barely detectable spices. A drop of caramel. The finish is long and creamy, but also powerful, with more honey and fruit, as well as chestnut cream, white chocolate mousse and coconut.

 

In Short, 

You can really feel the Balvenie, and it's a great success, full of sweetness and honey. The other distillery could well be Glenfiddich, because there's quality there. We've never seen Kininvie at this level. But you never know. The price is high, it's still 31 years old, and it's really good work. Fans of this kind of profile should love it.

Score : 90

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                           To Be Listened While Sipping :

 

                                           Blue Foundation - Eyes on Fire

The Balvenie 17 yo DoubleWood

 

 

 

43°

Distillery : The Balvenie - Speyside

2d and 3rd Fill Ex-Bourbon Barrels, Sherry European Butts Finish

Original Bottling 

Core Range 

Single Malt 

Launched in 2012

Peated around 6 ppm

 

 

 

To celebrate fifty years of work at The Balvenie, David Stewart, the distillery's cellar master, is returning to the bottling that made him such a success, the 12-year-old DoubleWood. This time, however, he is proposing to extend the maturation period to 17 years, giving it greater depth and a higher alcohol content.

 

 

 

Let's Taste It : 

Attractive and light red fruits, grapes, elastic, leather, prune, this nose is fuller than the 12-year-old and more marked by the sherry. In the background, vanilla, mirabelle and lemon. A tiny touch of peat to cement it all together. Fruity palate with plum, more on damson, sunburnt blackberry, dried fig and aniseed biscuit. Various spices, not too strong, nutmeg, paprika. Quite a long finish, earthy but also fruity, heather earth, rich and heady aromas, almost vinous.

 

In Short, 

It's much richer than the 12-year-old, and from that point of view it's a success. However, the price seems rather extravagant.

Score : 85

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                          To Be Listened While Sipping :

   

                                                    Amy Winehouse - You Know I'm no Good

The Balvenie Caribbean Cask 14 yo

 

 

 

43°

Distillery : The Balvenie - Speyside

Ex-Bourbon Casks and Caribbean Rum Finish

Original Bottling 

Core Range 

Single Malt 

Launched in 2010

Unchillfiltered

Peated around 6 ppm

 

 

 

Never short of ideas, David Stewart proposed a distillate finished in Caribbean rum barrels. The recipe was a hit, because this product is still sold today, and apparently with some success.

 

 

 

Let's Taste It : 

Beautiful balance between vanilla, white fruits, the amber influence of rum and sweet caramel. Overall, it's fresh, fruity and slightly iodised. On the palate, citrus fruits, cane syrup and white grapes, pineapple, mango, banana, papaya, as well as grapefruit and blood orange, all well oaked. Tropical fragrances, herbaceous moisture. Cinnamon, Indian spices. The finish is fairly long but not very strong, with jujube, gooseberry, vanilla and a few shellfish.

 

In Short, 

It's original and well thought out, as always. I'm very wary of finishes in rum barrels, which are often too sweet, yet I really liked this one, where the fruit tempers the rum's noxious effects. As for the price, I think it's a bit on the low side, but enthusiasts may be tempted.

Score : 85

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                           To Be Listened While Sipping :

                                           Sam & Dave - Soul Man 

The Balvenie Port Wood 21 yo

 

 

 

40°

Distillery : The Balvenie - Speyside

Ex-Bourbon Casks and Port Pipes Finish

Original Bottling 

Core Range 

Single Malt

Launched in 1996 

Unchillfiltered

Almost Unpeated

To make this whisky, David Stewart, the distillery's Cellar Master, used a blend of bourbon cask-aged distillates that had matured for several months in 30-year-old casks that had housed prestigious Ports.

 

 

 

Let's Taste It : 

Red fruits, light blackcurrant, blueberry, pear, gooseberry, blackberry, muscat grape, sweet apple, this nose is bewitching, with just enough spices to enhance the fruits. Wine lees, saffron. A maderised palate with vanilla, prune, cinnamon and benzoin. Intense oak adds structure. Despite the low alcohol content, it is very mature. Quite a long finish, with juicy red plums. Heather earth, peach skin, blood orange, barley sugar. Takes a long time to fade.

 

In Short, 

It's very good, very nuanced and balanced. Nevertheless, at this price, I think they could have made an effort on the alcohol content. It's really light for a hardened palate.

Score : 86

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                           To Be Listened While Sipping : 

  

                                                    The Cult - Indian Lyrics

The Balvenie 14 yo The Week of Peat

 

 

 

48,3°

Distillery : The Balvenie - Speyside

Ex-Bourbon Casks

Original Bottling 

Limited Edition

Single Malt

Bottled in 2019

Unchillfiltered

Peated around 30 ppm

 

 

 

The distillery began experimenting with peat in 2017 with a Peated Triple Cask and a vintage Peat Week, followed by a new vintage a year later. Released in 2019, this The Week of Peat is no longer vintage, but part of a range of three different bottlings brought together under the name The Balvenie Stories. Here's the story : Once a year, before cleaning the stills at the distillery, the workers take the opportunity to distil peaty barley from Speyside for a week. This is known as The Week of Peat. Afterwards, the phenolic vapours evaporate during the cleaning process and the distillery can resume its normal production.

Let's Taste It : 

Macerated peat, vegetal and humid, almost acidic. More like a swamp with reeds and small ponds than a real peat bog. Combines with sweet fruits, grapes, yellow plums and light vanilla. On the palate, the peat is less strong, with mainly orchard fruits : pear, apple, damsons. The smoky peat comes back strongly in the finish, with grilled meats and charcoal, smoked ham, it's like being at a barbecue. The finish is quite long and tasty, wood and cola.

In Short, 

It's a welcome curiosity, particularly in the finish, which I thought was really good. The rest didn't really excite me. It seems to me that the value for money is not very advantageous.. 

Score : 85

                                           To Be Listened While Sipping :

  

                                           J.J. Cale - His Masterpiece 

The Balvenie Single Barrel 12 yo c. 5634

 

 

 

47,8°

Distillery : The Balvenie - Speyside

1st Fill Bourbon Barrel

Original Bottling 

Connoisseur Range

Single Cask

Launched in 1993

Unchillfiltered, Uncoloured

Peated around 6 ppm

 

 

 

The Balvenie is the only distillery to offer a genuine Single Cask in their regular range. In any case, this is not the Core Range as such, but the Connoisseur Range, which was no doubt specially invented for the occasion. The bottle I had the pleasure of tasting went on sale in 2019. 

Let's Taste It : 

A sweet little flavour, like cane sugar, mixed with vanilla and juicy pear. A very liquid honey, which is devoured by licking the honeycomb, right inside the hive. Oriental pastries, baklava, zlabia, a pinch of cinnamon and cardamom. White fruits are a delight on the palate, still vanilla, it's very drinkable. Rose water, mead, with a zest of lemon. Minty freshness. Very long, syrupy finish, with caramel and flowers. Tree leaves, honeysuckle, eucalyptus.

 

In Short, 

A real success, at a rather attractive price. Don't hesitate to pick up a bottle, as long as it's reasonably priced and you're at least a bit of a fan of bourbon barrel ageing.

Score : 86 

 

 

                                          To Be Listened While Sipping :

  

                                           Zakir Hussein - Sri Naman

The Balvenie Tun 1509 Batch n°6

 

 

 

50,4°

Distillery : The Balvenie - Speyside

DoubleWood and Sherry Refill Butts, Ex-Bourbon Americain Oak Barrels

Original Bottling 

Limited Edition 

Single Malt 

Bottled in 2019

Unchillfiltered, Uncoloured

Totally Unpeated

 

 

 

The Tun 1509 series began in 2014, when David Stewart created blends that he married for three months in the Tun 1509 in question. Batch No. 6 therefore contains 21 different casks, all of which are said to be at least 21 years old, although this is not mentioned on the bottle.

 

 

 

Let's Taste It : 

Very fine nose, cereals and sherry coated in balanced bourbon, like genoise, snow-whipped eggs, melting meringue, caramel and, of course, vanilla. Chantilly cream, set with crushed hazelnuts. paris-brest, amandine. Fruity, very delightful on the palate too, pear, apple, white plum, rum raisins, strawberry, very long finish, rising to a long crescendo. At the end, earth and wine lees, heather, walnuts, a hint of blackcurrant. A very fine piece of work.

 

In Short, 

It really is an incredible delicacy. Don't hesitate to buy it if you can afford it, because the price is extravagant.

Score : 89

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                           To Be Listened While Sipping :

  

                                           Beth Gibbons/Gorecki/Penderecki - II. Lento e Largo/Tranquillissimo

The Balvenie 12 yo DoubleWood

40°

Distillery : The Balvenie - Speyside

2d and 3rd Fill Bourbon Barrels, Oloroso Sherry Butts Finish

Original Bottling

Core Range

Single Malt

Launched in 1993

Peated around 6 ppm

This is the distillery's entry level, but also its oldest expression.

Let's Taste It : 

The nose is fresh, almost minty, with hints of wheat, wood and vanilla. The sherry is there. There's also a touch of peat, I assure you. A few traces of fruits, berries, gooseberries or blackcurrants, but it's very light. The honey binds it all together, dominating in fact, in a very subtle whole. The palate is less complex. The honey is still there, married to the sherry. Vanilla, wood, a pinch of coarse salt and the taste of bourbon that rises to the top. The finish is quite long, not too dry. I have the sensation of a dash of aniseed in retro-olfaction, so it's all very interesting.

In Short, 

This is a very good whisky, at a fair price. The notes of honey and sherry leave their mark, as does the fruity finish. Don't hesitate to get your hands on a bottle, few will be disappointed. 

Score : 83

                

                                           To Be Listened While Sipping :

   

                                           Charles Mingus - Moanin'