Balmenach 15 Year (1981) Cadenhead’s Authentic Collection

Review by: The Muskox

PSYCH!  I’m not done with the dusty drams yet!

Not a week after getting together with Cagliostro, Quaker0ats showed up. Oh well, looks like another night at The Feathers for me…

We’re both fans of Balmenach, so we started with this bottling from Cadenhead’s.

Distillery: Balmenach.

Bottler: Cadenhead’s.

Region: Speyside.

ABV: 61.9%. Cask strength.

Age: 15 years. Distilled in April 1981. Bottled in January 1997.

Cask type: “Oak cask”

Price: N/A.

Color: Natural Color. Non-chill-filtered.

Nose: Rich malt for the most part – breakfast cereal and stroopwafels with caramel. There’s an earthy and vegetal character underneath – oregano, salty vegetable broth, and dirty plant roots. Even a little lactic – swiss cheese rind? Additional sweet flavours of pear, white chocolate, and a little honey..

Palate: Not that hot, considering the proof. Arrives sweet and salty, with citrus, peach, banana. There’s a particular zingy heat here, like white pepper or horseradish. The fruit flavours turn to vegetable as the whisky develops. More veggie broth and oregano, along with some raw squash. A mix of more normal flavours of oak, caramel, and malt in the middle. More of that white-pepper spice.

Water adds orange, hay, and herbs, and some more woody grip.

Finish: A continuation of the palate. Worm tub meatiness, citrus, and oregano. The honey returns, too.

Possible SMWS bottling name: “Spiced dirt sandwich”

Conclusion: This is pretty nice! I like the mix of heavy malt and rich worm-tubbiness. Very Balmenach-y in that sense. It’s got a spice to it, but a white-pepper zing that I really enjoy, rather than an alcoholic burn.

Final Score: 84.

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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