Tasting Notes:
The Balvenie Madeira Cask Aged 21 Years ✓ [Recommended if you like the style/distillery]
Style: Sweet and Elegant
Nose:
Orange marmalade infused with tender vanilla cream. Timber dust floating in the air. Floral honey unfolds a crisp, sweet Autumn harvest Semillon. Dash of citrus oil on the surface and white pepper sprinkled over it.
Palate:
Elegant orange-nutty notes rest on the palate. Subtle vanilla and sugar roasted almonds lead us to more sweet white wine branches and light sherry flicks. Tropical fruits gist finally unravelled. Fading caramel cream, honey oak tail towards the end.
Finish:
Fresh citrus orange and increasing apparent tropical fruits lingers. Subtle vanilla and barley.
Thoughts:
Subtle and elegant style of Balvenie. Citrus orange beauty, rather soft and shy build up that you have to search for it at times. As I comb through my Balvenies to cook up this review, how the characters are altered by different cask finishes/ maturation is truly remarkable. Another decent Balvenie in my book. Recommended if you like this distillery/style. End note, I have said this many times, but I will say this again – if only this is a 46%…
[40% • 2015 • Original Bottling • Travel Retail Exclusive]
-Esmond
WhiskNick 