The Balvenie Single Barrel Single Malt Scotch Whisky is a little tricky to review due to the fact that each cask of hand-numbered bottles (a maximum of 350 bottles from any one cask) is unique and unrepeatable. Thus, each bottle will have a slightly different character.
The Balvenie Single Barrel Single Malt Scotch Whisky is a 15 year old single malt and drawn from a single bourbon cask of a single distillation. Each cask is subtly different, but the good spirit makers at The Balvenie bottle only those casks that have the key characteristics of The Balvenie Single Barrel.
On the pour, the 15 Year Single Barrel emerges as a beautiful full gold color.
The nose is the next test. The Balvenie Single Barrel 15 Year Single Malt Scotch Whisky displays an aroma of vanilla, oak and honey. Those flavors continue on first taste. This whisky is rich and sharp – signs of careful aging. The hint of spices is just perfect.
The Balvenie Single Barrel 15 Year Single Malt Scotch Whisky finishes nice and long and smooth.
This 15 year old Scotch is smooth and light. Not very peaty. It’s a nice option for Scotch drinkers who don’t want something too overwhelming to their palete. But veteran Scotch lovers will appreciate the subtle character of the spirit.
I very much recommend The Balvenie Single Barrel 15 year old Scotch. My biggest qualm is probably the cost – around $65-70. It’s a tad expensive – but not so much so that I would pass on a bottle.