I’m a Balvenie man. I’ve tasted a lot of OB Balvenies, Indie Balvenies, tea spooned Balvenies, Tun 1401’s, some older some younger, but for some reason I never got to try the 30 year old. It’s not cheap, so you can’t just buy it on a whim, and I still am looking forward to trying the 50 yo (hint). I received this sample of the 30 to try (thanks, Ofer) only recently, and sat down to explore the next day or so, I expected a treat, and i was not disappointed.
Balvenie 30 Year , 47.3% , £293
Nose: Omg. This is awesome stuff. My kind of profile: Lots of polished wood, old benches sort of. Libraries from long ago. Lots of wood spice too: Orange peel, Cloves. A hint of mint and a honey sweetness behind. Whiff of aged vinegar, and some ginger spiciness too.
Palate: a sweet start. Golden syrup. Honey. Then getting spicier and darker. Getting some smoke and a hint of aged Cuban cigar tobacco. Ginger. Crème de menthe. A very oily mouthfeel ,mouth coating. Creamy even. Chocolate covered nuts. Honeycomb. A very wide palate, with a wide spectrum of flavours. Great balance too.
Finish: Beeswax. Honey. Smoke. Aromatic wood.
Yes sir. this is a stunning dram. It really delivered all i had expected, and then some. A truly great Balvenie, with everything you can expect from a 30 year old, well aged dram. Brilliant.