Balblair 12 Year

A lovely dram to sip that does not have much depth, not very memorable and overpriced, in my opinion. The nose: first pull is overwhelmed with citrus and spice, not a pairing I like. After allowing it to breathe, a deeper pull does bring some vanilla, nuts and honey. The palate: faint orange, spice, honey, more spice, and some tingling spice with… well spice. It is very delicate and you truly have to let it sit to discover what’s going on. No depth at all, it is nice to sip and test your palate to discover what is happening behind the spice. Be careful, it doesn’t last long except for the spice and heat. The finish: a saving Grace here, this dram has the right amount of “that oily taste & texture” which does wonders IMO. It’s slaps my tongue on the way down with a nice amount of honey, but this quickly fades and the spice is left. It’s an easy drinker, but for me the spice is too much here. Lovely light flavours, but overpowered by the chilli. At the price point I will not be buying this bottle, I’d much prefer my ABG’s for similar profile at better value. (Aberfeldy, Balvenie, Glenfiddich).

Oak and lemon and heat...likey

Leathery, scotchy