Balvenie 16 Year French Oak Pineau Cask Finish

향 오크향이 제일강하고 바닐라 그리고 다크 건포도향? 맛 타지않은 구운 나무맛 피니쉬 스파이시 단맛이 올라오면서 끝에 짠맛 신맛 다크초콜릿 맛이 살짝남 뚜따 했을때 알콜치는향이 나서 아쉬웠음 맛이 아직 안열린건지 가격대비 기대대비 아쉬움 뭔가 마실수록 다양한맛이 나는것 같아서 일주일 있다 다시마셔봐야될것같음 26만원에 가치는 아닌듯함

I do love Balvenie selections. But given their price point, I can never really bring myself to purchase a bottle on my own. A very good friend of mine gifted me a bottle of their 16 year French Oak, Pineau Cask finish for my birthday. Although my strong suit isn't fruity Single Malts, I thought I'd give it a go! Quite a fruity nose indeed. Syrup covered plum with some tart grapefruit sit atop gingerbread. It doesn't smell all that sweet and in fact, smells quite spicy and tart. Unique for sure. Sweetness appears on the palate with Honey providing a soft, sweet bed for other tastes to rest on. Together with that honey, there is a citrusy but almost floral quality to the taste... definitely got that grapefruit in there but with what I assume is Geranium? There's also this sweet cinnamon spice that inexplicably reminds me of a Hot Toddy hitting mid taste that sets off a little tongue tingle. Toward the end of the taste, it goes decidedly spicy and drier which brings cinnamon and leather jacket to mind. That spicy tongue tingle lingers for the finish and there is quite an interesting warming character about it. Deep into the finish, that leather jacket fades off. Balvenie selections don't disappoint and although this one was too fruity for my taste, I can appreciate and respect the craftsmanship that's gone into this dram.

Enjoyed @ the distillery

An enjoyable pour