Coastal Balblair – oh go on then. An 11 year old matured in a 2nd fill hogshead. Oily & coastal profile.
Nose: Certainly maritime with sea salt, minerality and rock pools. More typically ex-bourbon Balblair with breakfast cereals, buttered toast, toffee an vanilla. In the background some dried berries and old coffee beans alongside touches of heather and fresh sappy oak. Reduced, there’s some additional fabric aromas – leather and bung cloth.
Taste: An interesting development that moves from salt to herbal to sweet. Starting with the coastal, there’s shale and shingle. This moves inland with heather, pine and leafy greens. Finally, the underlying sweetness reveals itself with peaches, mangos and lemon peels all dusted with icing sugar. Dilution adds some florals – sunflower and buttercups as well as cut grasses.
Finish: Medium, slightly sooty with hint of medicinal char.
There are some interesting toasted and herbal nuances to this particularly coastal Balblair. Solid stuff, and a wee bit different too.