Cigar Weekly

jazznut · 01-06-2005, 07:45 PM

I 'found' a bottle under the Christmas tree this year - a most unexpected and appreciated gift from my brother. What a nice surprise!

This one is Cask No.4054, which went into its ex-Bourbon barrel in August of 1988 and emerged for bottling in October of 2003.

The alcohol level is a little less than that of older bottlings (47.8% versus 50.4%), but the overall flavour characteristics are just as attractive. This issue seems to place a tad more emphasis on roundness and honeyed overtones. And I'd swear I can sense a wee bit of smokiness lurking between the staves of the barrel, whereas previous incarnations placed this element within the fruit. But above all else, there is that signature surge of intense maltiness on the palate - Balvenie maltiness.

I'll tell you... William Grant surely knew what he was doing when he began laying those stones back in 1892!

01-06-2005, 07:45 PM	#1
jazznut Managing Editor Emeritus Herf God Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Montreal, Canada Posts: 25,991	Balvenie 15 Year Old Single Barrel I 'found' a bottle under the Christmas tree this year - a most unexpected and appreciated gift from my brother. What a nice surprise! This one is Cask No.4054, which went into its ex-Bourbon barrel in August of 1988 and emerged for bottling in October of 2003. The alcohol level is a little less than that of older bottlings (47.8% versus 50.4%), but the overall flavour characteristics are just as attractive. This issue seems to place a tad more emphasis on roundness and honeyed overtones. And I'd swear I can sense a wee bit of smokiness lurking between the staves of the barrel, whereas previous incarnations placed this element within the fruit. But above all else, there is that signature surge of intense maltiness on the palate - Balvenie maltiness. I'll tell you... William Grant surely knew what he was doing when he began laying those stones back in 1892! __________________ My whisky adventure began at the age of nine. Good things DO take time!