Balmenach 12 Year Old Flora & Fauna

Balmenach 10, Duncan Taylor's NC2 Range

Nose: Initially had the character of a chlorine cleaning agent, which I've never experienced in a whisky. Strange. After brief sitting this changes to pear, with perhaps soft strawberry. Taste: Oily in character, and spicy hot, with the sharp burn of red peppers. Finish: Continuing spiciness with some harsh oaky tannins. If I had to try this one...

Score 55/100

Balmenach 24 Year Old 1988 Signatory Vintage for The Nectar

The Nectar, run by Mario Groteklaes, was able to secure bourbon hogshead 2808 from Signatory containing 24 Year Old Balmenach. I put it head-to-head with hogshead 2794 that was bottled in the same year. The nose starts rather closed, but after a few moments it opens up nicely. A touch vegetal (dried grass), but immediately followed by green...

Score 87/100

Balmenach 1975

Nose: special. A sherry profile but quite different from anything I’ve tasted before. Earthy, with notes of hay and a fern forest. Nuts. Something of soy sauce. Apples. Coffee. Some heather. Rather strange but interesting notes of pine needles! Very complex really. Mouth: oily mouth-feel. Big notes of dried fruits (figs, raisins), candied orange...

Score 90/100

Balmenach 24 Year Old 1988 Signatory Vintage

The Cask Strength Collection by Signatory has known releases from almost every single distillery. Including this Balmenach, a rather obscure distillery in Speyside. I will put this hogshead 2794 head-to-head with hogshead 2808 that was bottled especially for the Belgian bottler The Nectar. A very vegetal nose, this Balmenach! Freshly cut grass,...

Score 86/100