Balmenach 7yr old Tawny Port, 54.5%ABV.

Tawny port quarter cask finish #186B – Distilled September 2007/ Bottled February 2021 By The Whisky Cellar, independent bottlers.

Tasted as party of the @TweetTastings for @whisky_cellar on twitter on 31/3/2021.

Appearance

This is mid gold in colour, it beads up nicely on the swirl line, has slow medium legs and is quite syrupy too.

Nose

Yes juicy red berries, cocktail cherries, red apples, well toasted bread, a tea note and walnuts, it’s a super nose that needs time for me. I’m also getting a feint lime note, pineapple and guava. It’s slowly becoming even more fruity, apricots/peaches/nectarines, it’s very nice to be honest, and the last aroma i get is golden syrup from the can.

Peanut brittle bar?#TheWhiskyCellar

— Dram it Mick! (@StillSurreal) March 31, 2021

Palate

The juicy red berries I’d hoped for from the nose are here, it’s quite spicy too. Chilli’s, high cocoa content dark chocolate, coffee stout, liquorice and Pontefract cakes run the mid palate, then blackcurrants, a grapefruit tang and cigar leaves bring us almost to the finish before icing sugar pops up.

Finish

There is some drying here, not too much luckily, and very spicy with char, cocoa and grapefruit bite, it’s quite long too. Very nice.

My thoughts

This is the first Balmenach that i have tasted, and i have to say that it will not be the last. How it got under my radar i do not know, because i really like it. I have to say that it is an entertaining drop of whisky, there’s plenty going on to keep me interested and enjoy, it is a good whisky for £65 in my opinion.

Would i buy a bottle?

For me and for my taste in whisky i definitely would, it genuinely was a wonderful surprise, that really made me smile, i love new whisky discoveries, especially when they are so good.

Thanks to – @whisky_cellar, @Tweettastings, @TheWhiskyWire and @VJOsgood.

Image credit – @TheWhiskyWire