Balvenie Single Barrel 15 Year

Balvenie has often disappointed me. While I know some enthusiasts and collectors favor it, I always find it excessively light and uninteresting. I received a sample of this well-known expression to see if it could change my perception of the distillery. It has a beautiful reddish-blood color and is bottled at 47.8% ABV. On the nose, it's very inviting, especially right after pouring. Red fruits and an incredible hazelnut note create a beautiful aroma. There's chocolate butter and a hint of sawdust in the background. It's like a sherry wood syrup, if such a thing existed. Without knowing it was a Balvenie, I would have guessed Aberlour. A pleasant spiciness is present, and citrus notes appear intermittently. After the first sip, a Hanuta / Nutella aroma emerged, and the sawdust intensified. Dark chocolate is also noticeable. On the palate, it has a sherry, wine-like flavor that is very spicy. It doesn't resemble the lighter Balvenies I often criticize. The second sip was lighter, a bit watery like most expressions from this distillery, but the subsequent pepper bomb helps it score higher and masks the flaws. A third sip revealed how truly light and watery it is. It falters here with dim vanilla and sawdust notes. (I noted this while it was still on my palate). There's a pleasant spiciness in the aftertaste. The sherry is very well integrated. Some brown sugar notes and interesting twists appear. A slightly salty finish breaks through the sherry profile. The aftertaste retained some strength after a few sips, earning it decent points. Overall, this is one of the better Balvenies I've tried, though not exceptional. The overwhelming sherry almost succeeded in hiding how light and uninteresting this spirit is. My typical view of this distillery is that its products are mostly watery, and after a couple of sips of the first glass, that opinion was confirmed again. That said, this ranks second among Balvenies I haven't been completely disappointed by (the other, truly excellent one, is the peat week expression). My score is 87 out of 100.

I have not completed one of these reviews in some time. This is not due to a lack of whisky consumption, but rather my exploration of many single cask independent bottlings, which are not conducive to reviews as each barrel is highly individual. I recently conducted a comparative tasting of this 15-year-old Balvenie, aged solely in ex-Sherry barrels, alongside the 12-year-old Balvenie, aged solely in ex-Bourbon barrels. They offered a perfect contrast, exemplifying the contributions of each cask type and truly highlighting what each brings to the table. Regarding the 15-year ex-Sherry: This particular bottle comes from cask #8967. Despite being a single cask, it is not cask strength and has been proofed down to a respectable 47.8%. The nose was very fruity, with hints of raisins and plum. The palate was sweet and spicy, featuring figs, cinnamon, and a subtle note of the signature Balvenie honey spirit. It is by no means a sherry bomb, but rather more understated. The non-chill filtration and higher alcohol content contribute to this dram being better than average. The finish was of medium length, with some baking spice and the characteristic Balvenie sweetness. The color was so deep and perfect that I initially suspected it was artificially colored, but while I cannot be certain, it appears to be natural. The deep brown contrasts beautifully with the strong, deep yellow of the 12-year ex-Bourbon. While this is undeniably a cask-driven whisky, the Balvenie distillate possesses a characteristic that endures and pairs well with the sherry cask; you can still identify it as a Balvenie. This is another excellent example of a harmonious blend of cask and spirit, a category in which Balvenie truly excels. This bottle, along with the 12-year ex-Bourbon and the Doublewood (a blend of both cask types), represent the quintessential Balvenie style to me. It is a deceptively smooth whisky; while it may not possess extensive complexity, it is very easy to drink and enjoy, causing me to often overlook it.

I recently evaluated the Balvenie 17, an attempt to complete the previous primary range after the recent discontinuation of certain expressions. This is another of those discontinued expressions. The 17 was well worth the cost, so I am hopeful this one meets expectations. Nose: Red grape, plum, date, fig, and raisin. Typical Olorosso sherry notes. Apple, orange, apricot, and cranberry. Pound cake. Toffee, vanilla, butterscotch, caramel, and malt. Toasted macadamia and almond. Plenty of oak. Creamy custard. Cinnamon, clove, and nutmeg contribute some spice. Palate: Orange, apple, apricot, and cranberry citrus. Plum, red grape, raisin, date, and fig. Very rich. Vanilla, caramel, toffee, and butterscotch are prominent. Toasted macadamia and almond. It is quite floral, and melon complements the orange. Finish: Orange, apple, apricot, and pear citrus. Plum, date, fig, raisin. Honey, caramel, vanilla, toffee, butterscotch. White pepper and cinnamon. Custard on the way out. Significant oak presence. Moderately long. A solid whisky. A very standard Speyside, Balvenie profile. The notes do not shift much from nose to palate to finish, but they are roughly what I anticipated. The slightly too standard nature prevents this clean, quality malt from scoring higher than a 4.25, which is still respectable. I regret not acquiring one or two more of these before they were discontinued. Oh well. The 17 and the Peat Week releases remain my favored Balvenie expressions, with this, and perhaps the 12 Single Barrel, ranking closely behind. Good work, Balvenie; that overpriced 16 year old had better be exceptional if it means giving up this and the 17.

Stumbled upon a store with these still on the shelves, and I had a friend who wanted every bottle, so I grabbed two for myself and made the store owners a bit happy with the seven total I left with. Nose - I get their classic vanilla and honey notes on the nose; there's light oak, bread, and I'm detecting light notes of red fruits. These are all bourbon barrels, but their malt is so sweet and fruity at times. I love it. Taste - Honey, complex vanilla pastries, oak, and the finish leaves me with some dark honey and oak tannins. A very nice complex take on what is otherwise a simple experience with bourbon barrels and classic Balvenie malt. It's 16 years old and was bottled in 2012. These aren't yet endangered but are becoming quite difficult to find. I think I prefer the newer sherry barrels, but this is an awesome change of pace and truly showcases the malt, and it comes at a much lower price than the 25-year-old, and it's significantly better than the new 12-year-old. Edit: I'm increasing the score to 3.25; this is so good.

A companion and I sampled this. We might have been a little tipsy already, but here are our findings! Smell: Hints of dried fruit, predominantly tart green apples, perhaps with a touch of pear. It also smells like sweet clover, reminiscent of a meadow or clover honey. Flavor: The initial taste is honey and baked apple, supported by undertones of leather and oak. Mid-palate brings dried fruit and spicy pepper, which arrives swiftly, maintaining the oak foundation. The experience concludes with more pepper, a whisper of vanilla, and a caramelized honey note. Aftertaste: Lingers for a considerable time, gradually softening. Features spice, honey, and dried apples, still accompanied by some vanilla. Evokes the final moments of a surprising fairground. You'll be inclined to have another drink. Do not dilute it with water! Seriously. It's not pleasant with water. We recommend enjoying it straight. Best, Two intoxicated individuals.

Nose: Lemon, raisins, wood spice, caramel, butterscotch Palate: Heavy sherry, dried fruits, raisins, cinnamon spice Finish: A long finish with sherry and spice notes I would prefer to find a first-fill cask with a better color for a true review, but this is what I had available. It's a rather standard sherried whisky, with nothing truly remarkable. The nose is good, but it has more heat than I prefer in a 46% whisky. The palate is quite one-dimensional, featuring sherry flavors and spice. Merely acceptable.