dhsilv2
Balblair 1990 2nd Release
Single Malt — Highlands, Scotland
Reviewed
June 4, 2024 (edited June 6, 2024)
This is one of those hyped legendary bottles I've heard so much about. Finally had a friend send me a sample. I took a few nips...a few too many drinks into a night. So this will be the real test.
Nose - Oh we got old sherry oak. Classic dried fruits and figs. Underlying chocolate with a nice fruit chew note. I want to say we've got a touch of a cherry and apple thing going on but very non sweet and not natural flavors. Rich oak for sure. This makes you think about some nice old chest of drawers from your grandparents attic.
Taste - classic malt smoothened in decades of oak and sherry. This is so milk balls chocolate dry, clean classic. Spice driven on the finish while hints of milk chocolate and dark fruits all up front. Spicy vanilla in here to. Malt/sweet forward up front, almost too much after the fruity yet drier approach.
Wow what a treat, old school well aged sherry. It's a shame these days seem long gone.
4.25 seems fair. Wish it was 48 to give it that final little bump. But wonderful
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@cascode yeah it's a shame, but we have a lot of issues in the world today. Pricing is the most confusing with these reviews.
@PBMichiganWolverine @dhsilv2 I have a 1990/2010 2nd ed and a 1991/2018 3rd but never acquired one of these 1990 vintages. Your notes tally with what I've heard elsewhere that it is very, fine but these Balblair vintages are all dusties or auction items nowadays. What a shame the new owners stopped issuing vintage expressions - the new age statement stuff is not in the same class.
@PBMichiganWolverine Yes? lol. My friend just got this in the last 18 months so in theory there are a few floating around on dusty shelves. But I think mostly this is an auction item, but the prices haven't gone wild. Ithink there were sub 300 new. If you can get this under 400, I think it's a steal vs what else is around these days. I think there's very similar quality 89's so its not just this exact batch you need.
@dhsilv2 a super rare 4.25. Wondering if this is still around , or long gone ?