Thanks. I picked up some bottles of Balblair 12 for a bargain price. I think it's a great dram. I will surely get the 15 too. I think the 18 is too expensive here (110 euro).
Thanks for shining a light on Balblair, Alan. Visit the distillery last year and enjoyed a tasting. Of the 3 reviewed by you my favourite is the 15yo. They're all decent whiskies, but there are Balblair expressions that are way more interesting / to my liking. Slàinte mhath
Don't think Balblair are quite out of the woods fella... The 15 seems the best value the 12 is a little soft and great for beginners and the 18 is probably still a little expensive.... Thanks for dropping in mate....
A very helpful review. I have stopped buying Balblair after the rebranding and price hike but I should give it a second chance. I have the impression that they may have dialed the price back after the initial rebranding, but, as you say, it could be that everything else has caught up.
Great review. Unfortunately, I've never experienced the old Balblair. But the new 12 year has become one of my go-to malts - particularly after the bottle has been open a few weeks, and I get these buttery cake batter with toffee and banana bread notes. I decided to spring for a bottle of the 18 year, which I'm enjoying now. It's delicious, full of overripe banana. I'll have to keep an eye out for the 15.
I really like Balblair. Ther's quite good prices at The Bordershop in Puttgarden, Germany. 1 litre bottle 12yo - euro45, 15yo - euro60 and the 17yo, 70cl bottle euro100. I live in Sweden and Balblair is not avilable here, sorry to say. So wife is going to Germany to buy it for me...and some more stuff at good prices.
Entertaining visit to this distillery. Great, fun staff and generous with the pours. Agree completely with you on the 12 vs 15 comparison and anybody would do well with that 15. Another superb video , thanks Alan. Cheers All! 🥃
Big fan of the 15 Alan . Been able to try samples of the core range a couple of times at shows etc, the 15 for me is where it is... keep coming back as the favourite, but they are all good ( prob the sherry pulls me in). Price wise, Balblair 15 is the same or a couple of pounds cheaper than 15 from Glenallachie, Glendronach or Glencadam, so it's in the ball-park price wise ( not ideal but that where seem to sit, £67-69 UK).
Balblair was a massive whisky in the community just a few years ago and before Inverhouse fucked it by reducing quality and putting up price. Nobody talks about it in the community now and we don't bother buying it either. It's far too expensive and nowhere near as good as it was. None of these age statements compare to the old Balblair. This is an example of a huge brand mistake. We used to love Balblair and now it's nothing to us. Thank you, Inverhouse, for fucking up Balblair and Old Pulteney. Two great distilleries that are now on the dust heap. WT
A friend of mine had the 15, tasted it a few times. I liked it, but i did not had it enough for a score. RIgth now i have the Highland Park 14 Years, and it is an alright one, i like it.
Balblair has never been high on my list back in the Vintage years. I would get the occasional bottle, find it to be competent but not a WOW event, and then the age statements arrived in 2020. I rushed out and tried them all, finding them to be good and decent, but I have not gone for them since... There are always new bottles from other distilleries to try, and somehow the Balblair expressions have not made it into my repeat purchases either because they were not good enough or not good and cheap enough. I lean more towards the latter situation as they are good but not cheap in my market,,,
Good stuff Alan. Head to head presentation is very interesting and informative. As a fan of Glencadam 10 and 15 need some similar in the profile for replacing in my cabinet. I will keep eye on them. Cheers and 🥃 slàinte M8. 🤟
Hey Jeff I think the best value is probably the 15....the 18 is probably a little too high and I would probably go for a Glencadam 18 instead... I'll get the video of to you sometime this week buddy.. Cheers for dropping in...
Greetings Alan. Did you notice any tinge of ester in the 12? I’m working on a bottle of Balblair 2005, bottled in 2016, and I perceive a tiny estery nip along with the slight ginger, pear, slighter apple, lemon zest, honey, slight vanilla. I haven’t yet tried the 12, but this 10-11 year old is more flavorsome than Glencadam 10, or even Tomintoul 14. It is not at all comparable to the ester bite in a Jamaican rum (especially Hampden Estate, or the common Smith & Cross made from Hampden distillates). Those are single pot-distilled ester monsters. Cheers🥃
Thanks. I picked up some bottles of Balblair 12 for a bargain price. I think it's a great dram. I will surely get the 15 too. I think the 18 is too expensive here (110 euro).
Love the 12, like the 15, just bought 2 bottles of the 18. I think I will be not disappointed
Thanks for shining a light on Balblair, Alan.
Visit the distillery last year and enjoyed a tasting. Of the 3 reviewed by you my favourite is the 15yo. They're all decent whiskies, but there are Balblair expressions that are way more interesting / to my liking.
Slàinte mhath
Just the video I've been waiting for! Cheers, Alan 😎
Don't think Balblair are quite out of the woods fella... The 15 seems the best value the 12 is a little soft and great for beginners and the 18 is probably still a little expensive.... Thanks for dropping in mate....
A very helpful review. I have stopped buying Balblair after the rebranding and price hike but I should give it a second chance. I have the impression that they may have dialed the price back after the initial rebranding, but, as you say, it could be that everything else has caught up.
Another sip....for Research....Love it.😍
Has to be done my friend. Research of course.... Lol
Great review. Unfortunately, I've never experienced the old Balblair. But the new 12 year has become one of my go-to malts - particularly after the bottle has been open a few weeks, and I get these buttery cake batter with toffee and banana bread notes.
I decided to spring for a bottle of the 18 year, which I'm enjoying now. It's delicious, full of overripe banana. I'll have to keep an eye out for the 15.
I really like Balblair. Ther's quite good prices at The Bordershop in Puttgarden, Germany. 1 litre bottle 12yo - euro45, 15yo - euro60 and the 17yo, 70cl bottle euro100. I live in Sweden and Balblair is not avilable here, sorry to say. So wife is going to Germany to buy it for me...and some more stuff at good prices.
Entertaining visit to this distillery. Great, fun staff and generous with the pours. Agree completely with you on the 12 vs 15 comparison and anybody would do well with that 15. Another superb video , thanks Alan. Cheers All! 🥃
Big fan of the 15 Alan . Been able to try samples of the core range a couple of times at shows etc, the 15 for me is where it is... keep coming back as the favourite, but they are all good ( prob the sherry pulls me in). Price wise, Balblair 15 is the same or a couple of pounds cheaper than 15 from Glenallachie, Glendronach or Glencadam, so it's in the ball-park price wise ( not ideal but that where seem to sit, £67-69 UK).
Balblair was a massive whisky in the community just a few years ago and before Inverhouse fucked it by reducing quality and putting up price. Nobody talks about it in the community now and we don't bother buying it either. It's far too expensive and nowhere near as good as it was. None of these age statements compare to the old Balblair. This is an example of a huge brand mistake. We used to love Balblair and now it's nothing to us. Thank you, Inverhouse, for fucking up Balblair and Old Pulteney. Two great distilleries that are now on the dust heap. WT
A friend of mine had the 15, tasted it a few times. I liked it, but i did not had it enough for a score. RIgth now i have the Highland Park 14 Years, and it is an alright one, i like it.
Balblair has never been high on my list back in the Vintage years. I would get the occasional bottle, find it to be competent but not a WOW event, and then the age statements arrived in 2020. I rushed out and tried them all, finding them to be good and decent, but I have not gone for them since... There are always new bottles from other distilleries to try, and somehow the Balblair expressions have not made it into my repeat purchases either because they were not good enough or not good and cheap enough. I lean more towards the latter situation as they are good but not cheap in my market,,,
Good stuff Alan. Head to head presentation is very interesting and informative. As a fan of Glencadam 10 and 15 need some similar in the profile for replacing in my cabinet. I will keep eye on them. Cheers and 🥃 slàinte M8. 🤟
I'd love to do the Glencadam 15 v the Balblair 15 fella.... Think that would be a great head to head.... Thanks for dropping in fella..
Top video as always mate. Yet to dive into Balblair but not found the entrance into it. Will give that 12 a miss then and try a higher age. Cheers!
Hey Jeff I think the best value is probably the 15....the 18 is probably a little too high and I would probably go for a Glencadam 18 instead... I'll get the video of to you sometime this week buddy.. Cheers for dropping in...
20% higher than days of old : i only buy the BB15 now (most similar to 1999 release). The BB 25 is 950ukp ! !
Nice comparison Alan! Great info! cheers
I love the 15yr, cracking dram 🥃
Greetings Alan. Did you notice any tinge of ester in the 12?
I’m working on a bottle of Balblair 2005, bottled in 2016, and I perceive a tiny estery nip along with the slight ginger, pear, slighter apple, lemon zest, honey, slight vanilla. I haven’t yet tried the 12, but this 10-11 year old is more flavorsome than Glencadam 10, or even Tomintoul 14.
It is not at all comparable to the ester bite in a Jamaican rum (especially Hampden Estate, or the common Smith & Cross made from Hampden distillates). Those are single pot-distilled ester monsters.
Cheers🥃