Moving away from the distillery’s previous vintage-only approach, Balblair’s new range was released in 2019 and now proudly displays age-statements. The Balblair 18yo is matured initially in American oak ex-bourbon casks, followed by a finishing period in first-fill, Spanish oak butts. Non-chillfiltered, naturally coloured and bottled at 46%.
Nose: Rich toffee and baked pears against a backdrop of new leather.
Palate: A balance of juicy apricots, seasoned oak and vanilla custard.
Finish: Chords of fresh spices and raisins.
Overall rating: 4.3333335 / 5 from 3 reviews.
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"I'm in awe of the balance and elegance of this whisky. Sweet fruit with star anise and cloves, finish has that vanilla sponge cake creaminess, velvety and smooth with some oak spice for seasoning. I would still choose the 15 over this though because it's a little punchy. But this is just elegant and classy in its own right 👌🏾"
— Kudzai K. (5/5)
"Excited!!!????. NO!! Deffinately blown away !!. I Love the combination of dried fruit notes pairing excellently well with the nutty character. What cracker from these guys , not disappoined as usual"
— Thabs M. (5/5)
"When I bought this I was hoping to be blown away like I had been previously with vintage Balblairs. While this is not a bad whisky by any stretch, it disappoints somewhat with subdued flavours and tends to strike you as a middle of the road whisky lacking overall character. It's neither bourbon nor sherry and as a result doesn't deliver a personality that leaves you wanting to go back to the bottle over and over. I've had my bottle for over a year and I enjoy it every time I drink it, I tend to find it difficult to pick as my dram for the evening compared to some other 18's."
— Doron N. (3/5)
