The Balvenie 30y ‘Thirty’ (47,3%, OB 2004)
Nose: a complete flower bouquet, mixed with honey and fruit (tangerine and peach with some acid notes of citrus). Sawdust and butterscotch as well. Mouth: clearly pear and when that starts to fade some spicier elements (pepper, vanilla). The spices linger on in the finish with slightly bitter notes (cloves, chocolate). More pear.
I don’t think I’ve ever tasted a bad Balvenie, but I’ve never been blown away by it either. This is very balanced, soft whisky, yet not very complex (= feminine?). This bottle costs around € 400 and that’s difficult to justify.
Very nice anyway: 87/100.
This blog is my personal collection of impressions, written while searching for the ultimate single malt whisky.
