This Balblair 1973 was bottled by Gordon & MacPhail for their Centenary Reserve, a series launched to celebrate their 100th anniversary.
Balblair 1973
(40%, G&M Centenary Reserve 1995)
Nose: excellent nose with big fruity notes. Plenty of oranges and dried apricots. Some yellow raisins. Cinnamon and cocoa. Waxed furniture and old oil paintings. Hints of cigar boxes. Subtle sherry in this one, very refined and lots of character despite the lowered strength. Mouth: nice but not too punchy. Again some oranges with a dash of honey and a caramel sweetness. Becomes fairly dry in the end, with oak getting the upper hand. Finish: quite dry but long with lingering fruits and soft herbs.
Nicely old-style Balblair. Around € 150-200 depending on who you’re buying from. Now let’s match this with some modern Balblair at the distillery.
Score: 87/100
This blog is my personal collection of impressions, written while searching for the ultimate single malt whisky.
