Balvenie Single Barrel Sherry Cask 15 Year

Sherry comes through, but isn't overbearing. Nice smooth scotch. Nothing exceptional, but nice all around.

Open for a bit. Sweet with a small spice on the back.

Burnt orange color, but not nearly as dark as other sherry-finished scotch; likely second-fill rather than first-fill sherry casks. Sherry influenced nose: not a "sherry bomb" per se, but rather a more restrained, harder, and more focused Balvenie-like version, with aromas of dates, dried apricots, pomander ball, vanilla, with a hint of peat underneath. Strong entry, with the 95.6 proof punching above its weight. Viscous, almost oily midpalate reveals some dark chocolate and dried cherries, with white pepper and some tannic oaky bitterness on the back end, where the 95.6 proof kicks in again. Long finish, with noticeable vanilla. The effect is not dissimilar to a tightly wound cabernet that needs several years of cellaring to soften and open up, though that of course won't happen. Each bottling is drawn from a single cask, comprised of fewer than 800 bottles, so variation can exist (note describes bottle #67 from cask 9008). N.B. All spirits tasted neat in a Glencairn glass.