2004 Balmenach 13 Years (IB: Hunter Laing) Old Malt Cask, Speyside, 50%, 70cl
A 13 year old single malt from Balmenach, a distillery that you don’t see an awful lot of single malt from, as much of it goes into blends. However, indie bottlers like the Hunter Laing chaps do sometimes get their hands on casks of their single malt for us to enjoy! This is a 14 year old expression, matured in a refill hogshead. A release of 264 bottles.
Distilled 2004 August
Bottled May 2018
Nose: Rather biscuit-y (think Custard Creams and Hobnobs), with tinned peaches and dried apricots developing.
Palate: More vanilla-rich custard notes. Quite nutty, too.
Finish: Orange pith, almonds and the last hint of vanilla bean.
Overall: A creamy single malt from a distillery we don’t hear enough from.