Burnside 6 Year Old 2006 Anam na h-Alba

Burnside is a blended malt, or a vatted malt for the old school aficionados among us. It is a teaspooned Balvenie. A proverbial teaspoon of Glendiffich was added to this and then bottled by the German bottler with the almost unpronounceable name Anam na h-Alba. The ABV is flabbergasting: 64%. After a maturation on hogshead, it was finished for two months on a first fill sherry cask, which explains the very dark color. It is pretty syrupy in the glass.

The nose is pure butterscotch! Then some dark fruit, mostly prunes and fresh figs, but that is soon squashed by a sweet and sour touch of balsamic vinegar and something that reminds me of Italian espresso. Dark chocolate, too. Rather sharp, but creamy at the same time. Does that make sense? I think it was lifted from the sherry cask in the nick of time. Water makes it more fleshy, which I do not think of as a plus.

It is very creamy and mouthcoating. The sourness becomes like gravy. The balsamico returns in full force and the spices are screaming. Water, please! Ahhh, that is better. Now the dark fruits emerge. Plums, figs, dades. And walnuts, with those slightly bitter skins! It must have been quite an active sherry cask to have had such an influence in only two months.

The finish is long and warm and very spicy.

I am in doubt about this whisky. I find the sherry influence somewhat over the top, making it impossible to recognize the Balvenie. At the end of the day, this is not my cup of tea. But I do know that I like it a lot better with water. Not too much, though, just a teaspoon. Price 58 EUR. Thanks for the sample, Dirk!