Glengoyne Balbaína

Review by: zSolaris

Distillery: Glengoyne

Region: Highland

ABV: 43%

Age: NAS.

Cask Type: First-fill European oak sherry casks

Color: 1.1, Burnished.


Nose (according to the wife): It’s quite fruity with some tropical fruit notes as well as some orchard fruits. There’s pineapple and lychee up front and center. It’s followed by a bit of green grapes and yuzu.

Palate: Very bright and zesty. There’s a lot of that yuzu coming through here with a bit of tartness. A warm note of malt barley comes through with a hint of cream and a hint of ethanol heat.

Finish: Medium in length with that yuzu and cream note continuing.

Conclusion: Just over a year ago, the wife and I visited Glengoyne distillery and fell in love with how beautiful it was. The whisky being pretty good also helped quite a bit. This travel exclusive bottling from Glengoyne is a little different than what we had there. Staying true to their sherry cask roots, it’s matured in first-fill European oak sherry casks but for some reason or another, it doesn’t carry the same sherry influence. While it has lots of fruits in the nose, there’s a lot of malt and cream in the rest of the whisky with a really lovely note of yuzu. All in all, it’s fairly good though lacking in the sherry department. Would I buy a bottle? I’d consider it.

Final Score: 78.


Scoring Legend:

  • 95-100: As good as it gets. Jaw-dropping, eye-widening, unforgettable whisky.
  • 90-94: Sublime, a personal favorite in its category.
  • 85-89: Excellent, a standout dram.
  • 80-84: Quite good. Quality stuff.
  • 75-79: Decent whisky worth tasting.
  • 70-74: Meh. It’s definitely drinkable, but it can do better.
  • 60-69: Not so good. I might not turn down a glass if I needed a drink.
  • 50-59: Save it for mixing.
  • 0-49: Blech.

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