Burnside 1991/2018 Caora N°4
Style Blended Malt Scotch Country Scotland Region Speyside Distillery Balvenie Bottler Caora Distillation Date October 1991 Bottling Date January 2018 Age 26 years Maturation Bourbon Barrel Cask 7407 Alcohol 50.3%vol Volume 50cl Outturn 233 Bottles Burnside 1991/2018 (50.3%, Caora, refill barrel, cask #7407, 233 bottles)
So on the papers, this is a blended malt and not a single. Colour: pale gold. Nose: full Balvenie-ness, with many plums, fresh hazelnuts and walnuts, touches of apricots, and quite some fresh cut grass. This one’s totally natural. With water: liquorice allsorts and bubblegum in full swing. Coconut balls. Mouth (neat): lovely. Pure, with some marshmallows, a wee fermentary side (or would that be muesli?) and tons of mirabelles. I’m a sucker for mirabelles. This is extremely and plainly Balvenie-y. With water: perfect. Reminds me of those famed 1970s. Finish: perfect plums, a spoonful of all-flower honey, and the expected apricoty touch. Comments: it’s a very controversial issue, but I’ll say it again, aren’t the indies becoming the real guardians of the distilleries’ styles? While the distillers are rather becoming mad carpenters (and cooks)? PS, let's keep listening to R.L. Burnside!
87 points.