Balmenach 18 Year Old Deerstalker

Balmenach does not have any official bottlings (bar the Flora & Fauna) and is only bottled by Deerstalker. There is a 10 and 12 year old, but we are lucky enough to try the 18 year old. It matured on a sherry cask. Balmenach closed in 1993, but in 1997 Inver House Distillers reopened it. They also produce gin since 2009.

The nose is a weird mix of sweet fruit like banana, juniper berries and plums on the one had, pine cones and something salty on the other. In the end, the sweetness wins. The fruit evolves from juicy to candied with a little lime zeste in the background. Hints of wet earth, something meaty, coffee and candied sugar. Nice evolution.

The taste is pretty sherried, dry fruit and coffee. But it turns dry quickly with leather and tobacco. Pepper and nutmeg from the spice rack.

On the rather short finish, it continues to dry until in the end you need to reach for a glass of water.

The sherry did what it has to do, but it is too dry to my taste. Around 53 EUR.

Find where to buy Balmenach whisky