Review by: The Muskox
This whisky was part of a tasting of the SMWS’s 2024 Festival Releases at the famous Jack Rose Dining Saloon in Washington, DC, alongside fellow Malt Runner rye_am_legend!
Distillery: Balmenach.
Bottler: Scotch Malt Whisky Society.
Region: Speyside.
ABV: 49.8%. Cask strength.
Age: 14 years. Distilled December 2008. Bottled in 2024.
Cask type: Matured in a combination of first-fill and refill bourbon barrels and American oak PX sherry hogsheads.
Price: $165 USD from the SMWS.
Color: Natural Color. Non-chill-filtered.
Nose: Sweet and syrupy. Strawberry jam, Special K cereal, honey, and a bit of a nutty cheese note.
Palate: Medium-thin texture. Arrives with dates, raisins, and honey, then developing to light oak and milk chocolate.
Finish: Light and sweet. Caramel, honey, dates, leather, and milk chocolate. A hint of something perfumed.
Possible SMWS bottling name: “Picking through leftovers in the clear-cut flavour field”
Conclusion: The SMWS’s name way oversells the whisky – this is as intensely mid as it gets. Don’t put Balmenach in PX casks, you complete bastards.
Final Score: 73.
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.
Malt Runners 