Lucky to visit such a tasting tonight... Could easily be a tasting of the year.
As you might know the Balvenie Compendium series was launched in 2015 to celebrate David Stewart as the longest serving Malt Master in the industry. It will consist of 25 malts released annually in chapters of 5 malts each. They are:
Chapter One: Distillery Style
Chapter Two: The Influence of Oak
Chapter Three: Secrets of the Stock Model
Chapter Four: Expecting the Unexpected
Chapter Five: Malt Master’s Indulgence
Chapter One consists of 5 malts showing Balvenie spirit character developing through 5 decades. The age varies from 9 yo 46 yo. Bourbon cask maturation only. Just 50 sets were produced with initial price tag of around 25 000 pounds (now sold out and reaches 50 000 pounds on a secondary market). Some separate bottles can be acquired as well.
Chapter One consists of:
Balvenie 9 yo 2005/2015 cask #6587 57.5%
Balvenie 17 yo 1997/2015 cask #5365 60.7%
Balvenie 30 yo 1985/2015 cask #612 54.1%
Balvenie 37 yo 1978/2015 cask #2708 50.2%
Balvenie 46 yo 1968/2015 cask #7293 45.9%
We will taste only 3 bottles out of 5, which is also quite fantastic experience. Let the war tasting begin:
Chapter One consists of:
Balvenie 9 yo 2005/2015 cask #6587 57.5%
Balvenie 17 yo 1997/2015 cask #5365 60.7%
Balvenie 30 yo 1985/2015 cask #612 54.1%
Balvenie 37 yo 1978/2015 cask #2708 50.2%
Balvenie 46 yo 1968/2015 cask #7293 45.9%
Balvenie 9 yo 2005/2015 cask #6587 57.5% - matured in refill American oak barrel, 218 bottles were made.
Nose: fresh and fruity, white apple peels, vanilla and honey.
Taste: powerful, malty, developing on citrus and honey. Definitely tastes better with a few drops of water.
Finish: long and unexpectedly salty.
Overall: very nice 9 yo Balvenie focusing on fresh apples, vanilla, honey and salt.
Score = 21+ 22 22 22, 87/100!
Balvenie 17 yo 1997/2015 cask #5365 60.7% - matured in refill American oak barrel, 114 bottles were made.
Nose: rich malt, vanilla, fruits and cinnamon. With water (or after a while) you get lots of ripe peach, citrus and nutmeg. Very good.
Taste: powerful, bursting with honey, toffee, oak and spices.
Finish: long and spicy, some sweetness at the very end.
Overall: great complex malt of only 17 yo. Drink it twith the smallest sips.
Score = 23 23 22 23, 91/100!
Balvenie 37 yo 1978/2016 cask #2708 50.2% - matured in refill American oak barrel, only 80 bottles were made.
Nose: fresh and fruity, white apple peels, vanilla and honey.
Taste: powerful, malty, developing on citrus and honey. Definitely tastes better with a few drops of water.
Finish: long and unexpectedly salty.
Overall: very nice 9 yo Balvenie focusing on fresh apples, vanilla, honey and salt.
Score = 21+ 22 22 22, 87/100!
Balvenie 17 yo 1997/2015 cask #5365 60.7% - matured in refill American oak barrel, 114 bottles were made.
Nose: rich malt, vanilla, fruits and cinnamon. With water (or after a while) you get lots of ripe peach, citrus and nutmeg. Very good.
Taste: powerful, bursting with honey, toffee, oak and spices.
Finish: long and spicy, some sweetness at the very end.
Overall: great complex malt of only 17 yo. Drink it twith the smallest sips.
Score = 23 23 22 23, 91/100!
Balvenie 37 yo 1978/2016 cask #2708 50.2% - matured in refill American oak barrel, only 80 bottles were made.
Nose: honeyed and floral, creamy, layers of toffee and vanilla, some warm gentle oak, notes of oranges and red currants. Beatiful gentleman, virile but not old. At its peak.
Taste: honey, cream, tropical fruits, spices and oak.
Finish: long one developing on cream, oak, honey, fruits and pleasant fresh note at the very end.
Overall: superb polished and mature malt, my best Balvenie at the moment.
Score = 23.5 23 23.5 23, 93/100!
Conclusions and thoughts: it's a pity we haven't tasted 1985 (last single cask of that year amoung all Balvenie stock) and 1968 release (almost 50 years in a cask), though anyway it was great, would like to express my most sincere gratitude to Balvenie ambassadors - Dmitry Cherkashin and Dmitry Krivoshey, Platon Blyznyuk and Goodwine.
Taste: honey, cream, tropical fruits, spices and oak.
Finish: long one developing on cream, oak, honey, fruits and pleasant fresh note at the very end.
Overall: superb polished and mature malt, my best Balvenie at the moment.
Score = 23.5 23 23.5 23, 93/100!
Conclusions and thoughts: it's a pity we haven't tasted 1985 (last single cask of that year amoung all Balvenie stock) and 1968 release (almost 50 years in a cask), though anyway it was great, would like to express my most sincere gratitude to Balvenie ambassadors - Dmitry Cherkashin and Dmitry Krivoshey, Platon Blyznyuk and Goodwine.
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