Balblair 12yo & Balblair 15yo

Balblair 12yo

Region: Highlands

ABV: 46.0%

Price: £49.75

Balblair twelve year old is matured in American-oak ex-bourbon barrels and double-fired American oak casks, it was added in 2019 to the distilleries core range, as part of a revamp of the lineup. As it is produced in batch form no individual bottle count is released. 

Nose

The nose opens with plenty of upfront citrus, think lemon peel dusted in icing sugar with a twist of orange zest. Behind the citrus there’s a little warm brioche, freshly peeled apple skins, tobacco leaf, grapefruit pith, fresh leather, a pastry shop sweetness, and a gentle pepper spice from the alcohol. The nose is pleasant, but lacks complexity needed to take it to the next level.

Palate

This has a good mouthfeel for the ABV, it’s a touch oily and we’d have pegged it nearer to 50% mark than it’s 46%. Like the nose, there’s upfront citrus that’s followed by simple syrup, peaches, stewed pears, apples and golden syrup. Finally, cinnamon spice and orange marmalade make an appearance on the medium length finish. It’s more complex on the palate, although it’s a little mouth drying, and has just a hint of bitterness. 

Nose (with water)

On the reduced nose a dollop of fresh cream adds some more sweetness. That tobacco note intensifies and is joined by cinnamon, brown sugar and a light yeasty note. Some of the other pre dilution notes feel slightly flatter now, though the changes aren’t dramatic enough to be off putting, we’d personally skip water.

Palate (with water)

The mouthfeel on the reduced palate has held up surprisingly well. We are also getting a little more sweetness now, with fresh fruit notes of mango and apple standing out. The finish still offers plenty of orange and cinnamon from before dilution and remains medium in length.

Conclusion

It had been quite a while since we last tried Balblair 12-year-old, and we feared it might disappoint, but our worries were unfounded. This remains a rock solid core range release. It makes us wish more distilleries would look at doing pure bourbon releases. 

Score: 7/10

Value

The more budget conscious whisky drinker might find this a little expensive for their tastes. That’s why we’d recommend looking for a bottle on sale if you’re interested in adding one to your collection.  

Balblair 15yo

Region: Highlands

ABV: 46.0%

Price: £85.95

Balblair fifteen year old is matured initially in ex-bourbon casks, then finished in first-fill Spanish oak butts, like the 12yo it was added in 2019 to the distilleries core range. Again as it is produced in batch form no individual bottle count is released. 

Nose

The nose begins a little tight, with only hints of cinnamon, cola syrup, and fudge peeking through. Given time in the glass, notes of fresh cut grass, mint leaves, and pine needles emerge, alongside fresh cranberries and a touch of cherry jam. There’s only a slight peppery prickle giving away the alcohol. Although the nose is simpler than we had hoped for.

Palate

The palate offers brown sugar, orange peel, dates, runny honey, and some cracked black pepper spice. That pepper lingers through a medium length finish, joined by cinnamon sticks, a hint of marzipan and a red-fruit sweetness. The mouthfeel is slightly thin for the ABV, and we actually found a touch more to enjoy on the palate of the 12 year old.

Nose (with water)

The reduced nose gains a burst of black pepper spice and burnt brown sugar, but very little else initially. With patience many of the pre-dilution notes start to fade, replaced by fudge and a hint of toasted oak. One where we’d be wary of adding water too.

Palate (with water)

The reduced palate shows a welcome improvement in mouthfeel and gains a pleasant note of lightly roasted espresso on the finish. Most of the pre-dilution notes remain, along with more tobacco, plus Sun-Maid raisins, extra brown sugar, and a hint of orange peel. Adding water has coaxed out some more sherry cask flavours and injected a little more complexity.

Conclusion

Another solid core range Balblair, though it does not quite match the 12-year-old for us. A splash of water helps the palate, but not the nose. Perhaps it’s because we are in a bourbon phase, or perhaps it’s batch variation, but either way we remember enjoying this more. 

Score: 6.5/10

Value

Definitely one we’d want to find on sale as at full price it feels a little too much for us.

• 10 - Perfection. One in a million
• 9 - Outstanding. Exceptional whisky.
• 8 - Great. Would seek this out.
• 7 - Good. Quality whisky.
• 6 - Above average. Happy to have a dram.
• 5 - Average. Drinkable whisky.
• 4 - Below average. Passable.
• 3 - Flawed. Noticeable negatives.
• 2 - Defective. Significant faults.
• 1 - Offensive. Pour it out.

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