Balvenie Single Barrel 12 Year

Süss und Honig, Sherry, sehr gut

My bottle: Cask #9153, Bottle #170 Nose: Licorice, cherries, bubblegum, pine-resin, apple cider, pears, vanilla blossoms, marshmallows, barley sugar, sweet melon and mint. Palate: Delicate honeysuckle nectar arrival. In the development it gains texture and there are orchard fruits, malted barley, honey, sweetened vanilla yoghurt, caramel pudding and baked apples, all sprinkled with delicate sweet ginger and a dusting of white pepper. Finish: Long, a fruity spiced-mead flavour dwindles away joyously. Oh, a brilliant, bracing nose. Top stuff! Tasting this whisky is like stepping out into a mild spring day. The palate is a masterclass of how to handle a sweet profile without allowing it to descend into syrup - a stunning example of how first-fill bourbon barrels can sympathize with the right distillate. I had to force myself to add water to this, I was enjoying it so much neat, but I'm so glad I did. The nose softens and swells with gentle oak that was previously obscured. The palate develops more spice (ginger and cinnamon) and more honey. The finish is rounder and longer lasting. It's excellent both neat and with a few drops of water - do try it both ways but water is definitely not needed simply for dilution - this is super smooth at 47.8%. It's expensive for a 12 year old but worth every cent. "Very Good" : 87/100 (4.25 stars)