Balvenie 15 Single Barrel Scotch

[buffdaddy]

Looks great! But $100 is a bit outside my budget.








There's something special about the way a scotch whiskey interacts with a Sherry Cask. Such is the case with one of the newest releases from The Balvenie, their 15 year old Single Barrel Sherry Cask whiskey. It's matured in European oak sherry butt for 15 years in a cask that held Oloroso sherry previously, and then released in batches of no more than 650 bottles from each single cask. Bottled at a slightly higher 47.8% ABV, this scotch is bursting with sweet flavors like liquorice and sherry with a long yet smooth finish.($100)



https://us.thebalvenie.com/our-range/single-barrel-15-aged-15-years


http://uncrate.com/stuff/balvenie-15-single-barrel-scotch-whiskey/

 

[OccamsBadger]

Agreed! $100 is lot of cash. I've had a sherry-casked premium scotch before and it was heavenly - just not $100 heavenly. (And, no, I don't remember which one it was - I awoke with amnesia and a hangover from the other place).

 

[FoolishMortal]

It can be found for around $80. Still not cheap, but one of the best Scotches I have had. Alas, I just finished my bottle. I guess I'll have to get into the Balvenie 17-year DoubleWood.

 

[chris.hale]

If you like sherry cask whisky, try Glendronach 15. It's rather more reasonably priced and is a truly excellent dram.

 

[paintflinger]

I'd go with Oban 14 or the Balvenie Caribbean Cask over the 15 yo. I like doublewood, but its a bit of an odd tasting scotch for me.

 

[galopede]

Who wrote that blurb? It is spelled WHISKY without the E in Scotland!

Gareth

 

[Danuhoh]

I've been enjoying Aberlour 12 non-chill filtered, around $60. Very nice alternative.

I'm wanting the Glendronach 15, sounds great!

 

[AJ123]

$100 for a bottle of scotch is equivalent to $31.50 for a bottle of wine or $5.50 for a bottle of craft beer in terms of drinks. If you would pay $30 for a bottle of wine, or $5.50 for a 12 oz bottle of craft beer, you ought to pay $100 for a good bottle of your favorite (80 proof) whiskey.

 

[knlgskr]

Still think aging spirits in wood that has only held one specific potable is the best way to ascertain if you really enjoy it/them. Could it be that reusing wood that has been used to age a different product is a way of concealing flaws in the current product? I am aware of regulations in aging but am dubious about the reason(s) for them. I think the way Bourbon is aged is a good idea and reusing the wood is acceptable as long as it used for Bourbon but aging other spirits in Bourbon, Port, Sherry, etc. wood still smacks (to me) of deception. If I am going to drink (fill in the blank); if I cannot drink it without it being aged in wood that has been used to age a different product, then perhaps I should not be drinking it.

 

[Danuhoh]

Still think aging spirits in wood that has only held one specific potable is the best way to ascertain if you really enjoy it/them. Could it be that reusing wood that has been used to age a different product is a way of concealing flaws in the current product? I am aware of regulations in aging but am dubious about the reason(s) for them. I think the way Bourbon is aged is a good idea and reusing the wood is acceptable as long as it used for Bourbon but aging other spirits in Bourbon, Port, Sherry, etc. wood still smacks (to me) of deception. If I am going to drink (fill in the blank); if I cannot drink it without it being aged in wood that has been used to age a different product, then perhaps I should not be drinking it.

I understand the thought, but disagree. I don't think they are trying to hide something as much as to provide a different outcome. Wine for example, can be aged in oak, or stainless steel, or both. Wine can also be aged Sur Lie, or not. I just think they want to provide a different product. The same can be said for anything really. Chicken wings, should they be eaten without sauce because the sauce hides the flavor of the chicken? I say the sauce adds to the experience.

But, in the end, to each their own, which is a great thing. I love my sherry influenced scotch..........

 

[paintflinger]

Still think aging spirits in wood that has only held one specific potable is the best way to ascertain if you really enjoy it/them. Could it be that reusing wood that has been used to age a different product is a way of concealing flaws in the current product? I am aware of regulations in aging but am dubious about the reason(s) for them. I think the way Bourbon is aged is a good idea and reusing the wood is acceptable as long as it used for Bourbon but aging other spirits in Bourbon, Port, Sherry, etc. wood still smacks (to me) of deception. If I am going to drink (fill in the blank); if I cannot drink it without it being aged in wood that has been used to age a different product, then perhaps I should not be drinking it.

As @Danuhoh stated, it's really just a means of playing with the flavor profile. Getting different flavor profiles on shelves for sale keeps people coming back for new and different things. For instance, let's take Bruichladdich. They are trying to build up some quality old stock after having been closed for a good long while. Because of a lack of old stock, they only have some young whisky available. They could simply package this and sell it as Laddie 10, but that really wouldn't give them much shelf space. Rather, they play with the casks and somewhat the whisky going into them. This way they have a myriad of flavors coming out of roughly the same stock. None of this is deceptive by the distiller and is rather beneficial to those that want to experience different presentations of scotch whisky.

Also as a side note, Bourbon never reuses the casks. By reusing these casks, Scotch is cutting down on waste.

If you are looking for deceptive things in the scotch industry, I really feel you should harp on artificial coloring of whiskys or the massively jacked up prices.

 

[knlgskr]

I understand the thought, but disagree. I don't think they are trying to hide something as much as to provide a different outcome. Wine for example, can be aged in oak, or stainless steel, or both. Wine can also be aged Sur Lie, or not. I just think they want to provide a different product. The same can be said for anything really. Chicken wings, should they be eaten without sauce because the sauce hides the flavor of the chicken? I say the sauce adds to the experience.

But, in the end, to each their own, which is a great thing. I love my sherry influenced scotch..........

Ok, but do they age wine in mediums which have previously held an entirely different potable? I would like to try the whiskies which are aged in previously used barrels which held different potables if they were aged in new barrels or reusing barrels which have been used to age the same potables. Also wonder how the contents are affected if/when they are moved about in the containers so they have more contact with the container; suspect it accelerates the aging process and reduces the "Angel's Share/Devil's Cut" and hopefully doesn't detract from the quality.

 

[eightysixCJ]

$100 for a bottle of scotch is equivalent to $31.50 for a bottle of wine or $5.50 for a bottle of craft beer in terms of drinks. If you would pay $30 for a bottle of wine, or $5.50 for a 12 oz bottle of craft beer, you ought to pay $100 for a good bottle of your favorite (80 proof) whiskey.

Exactly! Too bad single malts are not like cars where you can finance at a monthly rate we can afford.

Salute!

Tom

 

[Gig103]

Mmmm, sherry cask scotch.

 

[Matt S]

I think it is great, but I like sherry bombs. I have a bottle of Aberlour A'bunadh next to it, which I also like a lot.

For the price in VA, I'd probably buy Aberlour over it (about $25 cheaper than the Balvenie) but I'll enjoy it while I have it. It was a Christmas gift from the wife.

And Glendronach is in the on deck circle to try next, unless I get crazy and buy Lagavulin.