Review by: The Muskox

I’m always trying to broaden my horizons in scotch whisky – new experiences are a huge part of my enjoyment of this hobby. I’ve only had one Balmenach so far, and it was ages ago. It’s high time I get reacquainted!

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Distillery: Balmenach.

Bottler: That Boutique-y Whisky Company.

Region: Speyside.

ABV: 49.3%, cask strength.

Age: 15 years old. Bottled in 2018.

Cask type: Unknown.

Color: Pale gold. No colour added, un-chillfiltered.

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Nose: Very light, dry, and grassy. Freshly-watered lawn. Plenty of green fruit: Granny Smiths, pears, green grapes, mango, and grapefruit zest. Sweetly malty with a bit of vanilla. Earthy, with some wet clay and slight salt. There’s a creaminess and light funkiness, a camembert note maybe? CO2 tang, like sticking your nose into a just-poured glass of ginger ale.

Palate: Medium-thick texture. Very dry on the arrival, with soft arrival with grass and lime. It sweetens up only slightly as it develops. There’s dry cider and grapefruit, along with mineral notes of rock dust and clay. Pizza dough brushed with olive oil. Light soy sauce. More of that nutty and creamy camembert note.

A dribble of water makes things sweeter and more fragrant. Green herbs now – dandelions, a bit of dill, and mustard seed. Earthier, too.

Finish: Medium-length and dry. More cider, some grapefruit pith, and grass. Camembert. Olive oil. Nutty, green grapes. It sweetens up ever so slightly.

With water, it’s maltier, earthier, and ever-so-slightly sweeter.

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Possible SMWS bottling name: “Agriturismo frizzante”

Notes: A subtle and extremely dry whisky, but I love it. Lots of understated complexity, with fantastic minerality and a good mouthfeel. Water was absolutely an improvement, as it balanced the dram out a bit and added even more complexity. It’s definitely a summer dram, I think I’m doing it a real disservice drinking it on a snowstormy January evening. Very Italian-countryside type notes of olive oil and cheese, reminding me of my brief stay on an agriturismo in Tuscany. I wish I’d had this whisky to sip on then.

Final Score: 85.

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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.