Balmenach 8 Year Old 2008 Connoisseurs Choice

I must confess, the last time I tasted a Balmenach was when I released my own Save Lars Whisky over a year ago. This youngling from 2008 is a vatting of one sherry and several bourbon casks and bottled under the Connoisseur Choice label from Gordon & Macphail.

The nose is both sweet and mildly sour, which does not seem to work well. It has a strange aroma that I cannot quite put my finger on, but does seem a bit off. The best way to describe it is silver polish or even old iron. Underneath is some yellow fruit: pineapple and citrus.

It is nicely oily and immediately very sweet. The strange note from the nose is - luckily - gone on the palate. I do get some pepper, ginger and vanilla. The fruit is now all but citrusy: lemon, lime and mandarin. The pineapple has evolved towards grapefruit. A little bit of liquorice emerges.

The finish is rather short on more lemon and pepper.

A card's player whisky with a little off-note on the nose.

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