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

Ledaig 2011 The Whisky Jury 13 yo

 

 

 

56°

Distillery : Tobermory - Islands

2d Fill Hogshead

Independent Bottling 

By The Whisky Jury

Limited Edition 

Single Cask 

Bottled in 2025

Unchillfiltered, Uncoloured, Cask Strength

Peated around 37 ppm

 

 

 

It seems that The Whisky Jury released this one to celebrate its sixth anniversary. It is a very respectable bottling, aged for 13 years and 7 months in a second-fill Hogshead, which allows the distillate to express itself fully. There are 317 bottles on the market, which is not a bad way to mark another year. 

 

 

 

Let's Taste It : 

Iodine and limestone, slightly dirty rocks, dotted with earth, beautiful maritime breadth, sea air, white chalk and vanilla, it's slightly woody, a dash of honey and exotic fruits. Salt stalactites, a zest of citrus, foam and sea spray. On the palate, it's oily, lychees, poached eggs, candied vanilla, oyster juice, white grapes. Then some spices, mirabelle plums, cumin, white pepper. Long and explosive finish, which opens like a flower, coconut, two or three strands of straw, pistachio and icing sugar. Vanilla icing, liquorice stick. Fennel.

 

In Short, 

A very nice bottling, very mineral and iodine-like, with the usual dirtiness, but that doesn't prevent the fruit from blossoming. You're rarely disappointed with Ledaig, and even less so with The Whisky Jury. What's more, the price isn't very high, so I'm starting to regret only buying a sample and not a whole bottle. 

Score : 89

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                           To Be Listened While Sipping : 

 

                                           Flawed Mangoes - Surreal

Ledaig 2001 The Whisky Jury 24 yo

 

 

 

53,4°

Distillery : Tobermory - Islands

Refill Hogshead 

Independent Bottling 

By The Whisky Jury

Limited Edition 

Single Cask 

Bottled in 2025

Unchillfiltered, Uncoloured, Cask Strength

Peated around 37 ppm

 

 

 

Ledaig, as a special brand for peated whisky from Tobermory, has only been around since the 1990s, so bottlings over 20 years old are not that common. That's why this one caused something of a stir when it was released, especially as it was launched by The Whisky Jury, a highly reputable Belgian independent bottler founded in 2019. Having matured for 24 years and 9 months in a single Refill Hogshead, the distillate is very little influenced by the cask. Only 248 bottles are available for sale. It is written Heavily Peated on the label, yet it can only be faded after all this time. 

 

 

 

Let's Taste It : 

Misty peat, the weather is damp, with a gentle minerality, the tide, nougatine, caramel, light floral notes and honey crystals. Yellow fruits and tobacco leaves, crushed banana, and gradually the peat becomes more insistent, maritime and rocky, full-bodied. Quartz, slate, gypsum. On the palate, slightly oily rose water, then powerful spices, cumin, clove, black pepper. A few lychees. A sufficiently long and intense finish, notes of charcoal, soot, mineral-rich earth, gently bitter wood. Asparagus and coffee. A zest of lemon.

 

Let's Taste It : 

Even after all these years, Ledaig has lost none of its subversive character. There is very little peat, but the mineral character is intense and the maritime notes are harsh. This does not prevent a exquisite creaminess and some welcome fruitiness. Overall, it is gourmand and very subtle. The price is quite low for a whisky of this age and from a bottler of this reputation, making it a unique opportunity to try a malt of great quality and with a unique profile. 

Score : 91

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                           To Be Listened While Sipping : 

 

                                           Gealdyr - Drui

LG 2019 The Whisky Jury 5 yo

 

 

 

48,88°

Distillery : Lagavulin - Islay

1st Fill Oloroso Sherry Finish

Independent Bottling 

By The Whisky Jury 

Limited Edition 

Blended Malt 

Bottled in 2025

Unchillfiltered, Uncoloured, Cask Strength

Peated around 38 ppm

 

 

 

This is a strange bottling, It seems to be a very young teasponned Lagavulin, aged for three years in Scotland, then two years in Belgium in a 1st Fill Oloroso Sherry Cask. As a result, it has lost its Blended Malt Scotch Whisky appellation, and is now only a Blended Malt Whisky. In any case, 335 bottles are on sale. The alcohol content is very low for a Cask Strength of this age, which leads me to believe that there is also much older whisky in there.

 

 

 

Let's Taste It : 

The nose is airy and ethereal, but the peat is very present, smoky and thick, and the costal character is powerful. Gypsum cliffs above foamy white waves, sea breeze, iodine, salt, and also crème fraîche, a dash of vanilla, peaches, lychees. The influence of Sherry can then be detected, sultanas, red fruit coulis and milk chocolate. It's oily on the palate, still fruity, with white peaches and bananas, pronounced mineral, peaty and charcoal notes, and the right amount of spice. Long finish, brown sugar, charcoal, figs and dates, warm chestnuts. Chocolate fondant.

 

In Short, 

The nose is sublime, but on the palate the Sherry is barely detectable and it's light. The finish is very good. It's a curiosity, I'd love to know the exact composition of this Blend, but certain seals have a hard life. The price is really low, it's a bargain, and that's probably why it's sold out everywhere, a few days after its release. Fortunately, there are still friends who share.

Score : 88

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                           To Be Listened While Sipping :

 

                                           New York Dolls - Frankenstein

Williamson 2010 The Whisky Jury 12 yo

 

 

 

52,3°

Distillery : Laphroaig - Islay 

1st Fill Oloroso Sherry Cask 

Independent Bottling 

By The Whisky Jury 

Limited Edition 

Single Cask

Bottled in 2022

Unchillfiltered, Uncoloured, Cask Strength

Peated around 43 ppm

 

 

 

The Whisky Jury is a Belgian trading company founded in 2019. This bottling is their 56th, and it's their fourth Laphroaig. But they never call it by the name of the distillery. It is named either Bessie or Williamson, after Bessie Williamson, who was the first womain to lead a Scottish distillery. Employed by Laphroaig for a summer job in 1934, she began to replace Ian Hunter when he had a stroke in 1938, and inherited from him when he died in 1954. So she was the owner of the place until she retired in 1972. To honour her, it is now a tradition to name such young Laphroaig from her name. But this one is 12 years old so it's not so young, and it was aged in a 1st fill Oloroso Cask, so it must be a valuable one. The problem is that it is written on the bottle Blended Malt. But is it really Blended? On the seal upon the cork, it is also written One Single Cask. So which one is true? Moreover, the number of the cask is mentioned, only 195 bottles were put on for sale. So I assume it's definitely a Single Cask, but maype it was teaspooned, that means a very short amount of whisky from another distillery was added in the cask. It doesn"t change anything to the taste, but it allows to lower the price of the bottle and avoid a few taxes. 

 

 

 

Let's Taste It : 

From the moment you lay your nose on it, fuel oil, diesel oil, motor oil. An old garage filled with car wrecks. Coal, lignite, soot. With that, rusty nails, pork fat, fried bacon. A few red fruits behind, damson, woody blackcurrant. Then comes the medicinal touch, bandages, disinfectant, ether. Finally, it all balances out. Sherry finds its way, walnuts and molasses, apricots and quinces, Muscat grapes. It becomes sweet, cherry pie, pear compote, chocolate coulis. Liquorice and melting caramel. On the palate, first delicacy, salted butter caramel cream, soft apple, then peat, thick but not intrusive, tar, rubber, TCP, camphor, chloroform, it feels like an abandoned hospital. Nougat. Discreet spices, paprika, nutmeg. candied figs, dates. Long, earthy and smoky finish, blackberries and blueberries, in handfuls. Liquid honey. Coffee grounds. Mocha.

 

In Short, 

Excellent Laphroaig with a perfect mix of Sherry and medicinal oily peaty notes. The balance is overwhelming, and the fragrances are as deep as they are varied. I would run onto this bottle if I could find it, but unfortunately it seems that it is totally sold out, I can understand why. Besides, the price was right when it came out, so this Whisky Jury is definitely to be followed. 

Score : 90

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                           To Be Listened While Sipping :

 

                                           Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs - Big Rig

Ben Nevis 1995 The Whisky Jury 27 yo

 

 

 

49,5° 

Distillery : Ben Nevis - Highlands

Refill Bourbon Hogshead

Independent Bottling 

By The Whisky Jury

Limited Edition

Single Cask

Bottled in 2022

Unchillfiltered, Uncoloured, Cask Strength

Almost Unpeated

 

 

 

In 2019, a new bottler is showing up. This is The Whisky Jury, they are Belgian, and their first work is a Ben Nevis distilled in 1995, aged 23. Three years later, while this company has achieved recognition and critical acclaim, a new Ben Nevis 1995 is introduced to the public. It's their 55th bottling, and this time it's a 27 years old. The first cask was numbered 970, this one is numbered 960. Both are Refill Hogsheads, and the second, which is the subject of this tasting, is produced in 251 hand-numbered copies, subtitled "Flip Pancakes not Whisky". I'm not sure that the price of pancakes could interest speculators.

 

 

 

 

Let's Taste It : 

Some waxy minerality, and straight after a waterfall of fruits. Peach above all, very juicy, but also roasted pineapple, a squeeze of lemon, white grapes, meringue pie, acacia honey, pastry cream, and that funky character typical of the distillery. Nuts, coconut, a few drops of vanilla. On the palate, it's creamy, oily, silky, beguiling, lemon tart, with a scoop of ice cream, candied fruits, blood orange, passion fruit, whipped cream, up to a very long, powerful and sparkling finish, biscuit, melting marzipan, soft caramel, almonds, chocolate milk.

 

In Short,

I found it excellent. A fine blend of a venerable and serious age, and a fruity and delightful exuberance. It combines the advantages of old age, patina, complexity, and those of youth, power and expressiveness. Only tiny flaw which means that the note is not higher: the finish lacks a bit of explosiveness, the fault of a relatively low alcohol level. Other than that, it's just perfect, and better than I would have expected. When it came out, the price was almost reasonable, but now everything is sold out and you have to make a pact with the flippers to get it, it's very sad.

Score : 90

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                           To Be Listened While Sipping :

 

                                           Skinhape - Mandala