Balvenie Tun 1401 Batch 4

Review : Balvenie Tun 1401 Batch #4, 50.4%

Details: This is a mix of seven scotches aged in American oak casks and three others aged in sherry casks distilled between 1966 and 1988.

Colour: A dark, rich amber.

Nose: Barely a trace of alcohol. You can dunk your nose directly in the glass without any burn whatsoever and inhale to your hearts content. There is a sweet fruit smell reminding me vaguely of Porto, and a superb honey touch. The oak also weaves through and complements the rest.

Mouth: The first thing that surfaces is a spicy wood taste with a tame burn. As soon as the spice fades a bit, it leaves the way open to the wonderful vanilla and honey. The sweet Porto taste is definitely morphing into a citrus taste. I can't believe how complex it is while being so smooth.

Finish: The oak stands out here along with a fresher, more bitter fruit (apples?). The finish is very delicate albeit very long. I'm coming up on ten minutes without a sip and I'm still licking my lips.

Conclusion: As much as I loved the 21y Portwood, this almost makes it taste like the Doublewood. It feels more complex, richer and smoother (if that's possible) while being over 50% ABV. It's hard to explain but it feels like there is a sense of purpose to this Scotch, that it was not built but destined to taste like this. This is the Scotch that will make me buy less to get better quality. At 175$, you can bet I'll grab a bottle every single time I pass the border.

TOTAL: 97/100

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