Balvenie The Week of Peat 14 Year

Review #062 Type: single malt scotch Proof: 48.3% Comments: aged 14 years, cask details not provided Tasted after: first up Appearance (no score): Deep gold hue. Swirling shows a thick film clinging to the glass, with slow-forming legs. Nose: 17/20 Peat smoke, but it's light and sweet, alongside mushy overripe bananas, vanilla, honey, freshly baked bread, and orange citrus. Palate: 31/40 More light fruity peat smoke, but I can't quite identify the fruit; it's just mild. This is accompanied by sweet honey, grain cereal, and a hint of white pepper. Finish: 33/40 A medium-long finish. It starts buttery, like heavily buttered bread, then shifts to bitter grapefruit, gradually becoming sweeter with a slightly floral note and some honey, finally ending with a flavor reminiscent of mint leaves. With Water: After a couple drops of water, the banana I previously noticed on the nose becomes more prominent, perhaps even slightly off? The palate also gains a new, slightly briny flavor, which is not a characteristic I typically associate with this distillery. Total: 81/100 Final thoughts: I'd describe this dram in two words: sweet smoke. It's quite good, though not highly complex, but I still recommend it to those looking to explore peated scotch. I recently had the opportunity to tour the distillery and observed their coal and peat furnaces, which share a flue. I was surprised when our guide mentioned they don't clean this after their peat week, instead using the liquid in subsequent weeks for various blends until the peat has mostly dissipated. In recent years, they've started cleaning it just before peat week to ensure the purest peat smoke. I wonder how this new process might impact this expression once the stock from it ages enough to appear in future bottles. Price: $76 Would recommend: yes Would buy: yes, if I can find it again at a reasonable price. Scoring Legend: 96-100: The perfect dram, absolutely exceptional, nectar of the gods, I will savor this bottle and make it last, 5 stars. 90-95: Near perfect, there is something truly special about this whisky, 4.75 stars. 85-89: Very good to amazing, almost the complete product, 4.5 stars. 80-84: Quite good, very enjoyable to drink, but doesn’t wow me, 4.25 stars. 75-79: Good, enjoyable but ultimately flawed, unlikely to purchase again, 4 stars. 70-74: A solid dram, but wouldn't go out of my way to get it, 3.75 stars. 55-69: Drinkable, 3.5-2.75 stars. Below 55: Suitable for cooking or direct contribution to the kitchen sink drain, 2.5 stars or less.

This marks my third expression in the Balvenie Peat Week series, and unless they release a 2005 edition. They updated the packaging for this one, but I'm optimistic the quality remains consistent. So far, this series has been the most robust part of Balvenie's offerings. Aroma: Earthy, savory peat notes. Beyond that, it has strong honey, butterscotch, vanilla, and some cream. Cinnamon and black pepper spice, with a touch of oak. There's also some sulfur present. Apple cider, hints of lime and orange citrus, pineapple and honeydew, and some toffee. It's solid, but the sulfur clashes with the other aromas. Aside from that, it's good. Fruity, floral, peaty, smoked meat, and some sweet notes. Palate: More earthy peat and smoked meat. It's mildly smoky, but more akin to brisket and BBQ flavors. Red pepper and black bean chili, which I often detect in coastal peated malts. Black pepper, cinnamon, and oak. Milk and dark chocolate, toffee, vanilla, caramel, brown sugar. Apple/apple cider, pineapple and honeydew. Underlying orange and lemon citrus. The sulfur is still noticeable, but it's masked by a richer and more balanced presentation of the aromas detected initially. A pleasant palate. Finish: Custard, toffee, vanilla, and chocolate. More of the smoked meat, peat, and red pepper and black bean chili. Cinnamon, black pepper, and oak. A medium to long finish. A nice conclusion to the dram. So, what's the score? I genuinely enjoy this one. The only drawback is the presence of sulfur notes. Otherwise, it showcases a great balance of sweet, peat, spice, oak, fruit, and floral characteristics that define this Peat Week lineup. Speaking of which, how does it compare within the Peat Week sequence? I've rated it 4.25; it's the least impressive so far. Not that this is a criticism. There was a slight dip in quality, but it's truly minimal. Initially, I had this rated the same as its predecessors, but time may have affected this one. I haven't had it open for very long, but it appears the quality declined quite rapidly. I will revisit this and reassess before finalizing my score. It's inconsistent with my prior tastings, so I might be having an off day. My score could improve or decrease, but for now, it's a solid 4.25.

Here I go again, trying another peated whiskey. To be fair, my very first peated whiskey was Lagavulin. I approached it with no knowledge of that distillery or how a peated whiskey should taste, and I left convinced that peated whiskies weren't for me. However, to be fair: Balvenie is one of my all-time favorite distilleries. I enjoy nearly everything they produce, and it's generally a go-to brand when I'm out with friends and want a good, honest, neat pour. The aroma evokes images of an open flame: a wooden campfire with some kind of meat slowly roasting. It's similar in character to Lagavulin, but where that nose was overwhelmingly smoky, almost to the point of making my eyes water; the Balvenie 14 Year Week of Peat takes a much gentler approach. This whiskey consistently tastes of peat smoke but doesn't overwhelm your senses like Lagavulin. The smoke gently lingers, carried by a sweet nuttiness that I don't often experience from Balvenie. It reminds me of a soft background of honey-roasted almonds. The smoke fades on the finish. It slowly dissipates from the tongue, leaving a slight aftertaste of warm vanilla cookies? How delightful! Lately, my life has been dominated by Bourbons. But this was a delicious and welcome change from my usual "sweet tooth" choices. This is truly a peated whiskey I can embrace.

This distillery, which typically avoids peat, offers another smoky expression. While the initial 'Peat Week' was well-received, this subsequent bottling is less popular. Personally, I find it quite appealing. The aroma presents a light, fruity peat that is not at all overpowering or aggressive, feeling very harmonious. Notes of grain, malt, and freshly cooked orchard fruits are present, along with a hint of pine resin, hops, and vanilla. Later, banana peel and peach emerge. On the palate, the peat is more pronounced and feels exceptionally well-integrated, with a subtle sweetness that balances nicely against the malty sweetness. The finish is pleasant but brief, leaving a faint taste of burnt bitterness. Overall, it's a delightful, easy-to-drink spirit that is rich in flavor and sufficiently distinctive. It does feel a bit thin, however.

Allow to rest for about 5 minutes. Appearance: Pale dull gold with thick walls and legs; Aroma: Immediate notes of iodine, BBQ and grilled fruit, less intense than Laphroaig but more similar to Ardbeg; Fruit to BBQ ratio is around 50/50; Taste: Hot, spicy and BBQ, a beautiful fusion of flavors, smoke is immediate but gives way to dark chocolate and grilled peanut butter notes; Finish: Short but enduring, fruity undertones rise to the forefront and remain, a wisp of smoke appears at the very end.

Nose: Pervasive peat with smoke, bark, and black pepper. Body: The typical rich honey body is present, but the peat is dominant and not as well integrated as I'd prefer; I mainly detect char with a hint of orange and honey. Finish: Smoke, honey, orange, and quite a bit of char that leaves a bitter note, like burnt toast. Well, I've found a Balvenie I don't truly like. Who would have guessed? The usual Balvenie depth is simply missing. The peat doesn't enhance; it overwhelms here.