Balblair 1975 1st Release
Distillery Bottled, Limited Edition. Distilled 1975, Bottled 2007.
70 cl / Highland Single Malt / 46% ABV

"Nose: Initial entry presents a nice big dollop of barley sugar and some cereal, with just a hint of allspice. Some citrus and grassy notes also emerge after some time, with just a hint of blackberries. The barley notes are the dominant feature in this one.

Palate: Sweet, malty goodness with the barley sugar and cereal notes at the forefront. The grassy notes and just a hint of the citrus detected on the nose transfer onto the palate as well. With time, some aniseed and herbal notes reminiscent of absinthe emerge along with some of the woodiness of the cask this dram was matured in. The herbal notes and the barley sugar intermingle surprisingly well in this case.

Finish: Long and lingering finish, with citrus, barley sugar and the absinthe notes from the palate dominating. Very interesting dram (and somewhat unusual considering the various elements present) and something to sip and savour!

Balance: Quite a well balanced dram considering the various complexities in play on the palate and definitely shows its age in a sophisticated way. Not your everyday dram and one that not everyone will fancy, but definitely something to experience at least once. 90/100" - Whisky Mate