Balvenie Roasted Malt 14 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)

This experimental whisky began life in the summer of 1992 as a batch of barley germinated over 24 hours (as opposed to the usual five days). It was then kiln dried, heated in a roasting drum at a temperature of 200 degrees centigrade and mixed with traditional malted barley before the mashing stage. The barley was completely roasted to between 1600 and 1800 European Brewing Colour (EBC) units. Normal malted barley only reaches around 30 units. The resulting 'dark roasted malted barley', is of the kind more commonly used in the production of stout beers. When it was finally bottled in 2006, this became the first Single Malt Scotch whisky to employ such a heavy roasting procedure. Balvenie claims this will never be repeated so there's some potential collector upside to this release.

Tasting note: Bright brassy gold colour. Opening aromas include notes of cocoa, manuka honey and dried coconut. A subtle fruity undercurrent (dried banana) emerges with time in the glass but as the aromas die down, it's the cocoa and honey notes that remain most salient. A soft entry slowly builds into a light to medium bodied, fairly dry malt; Alongside the vanillan oak, manuka honey is followed by a spicy burst of dried fruits. Good length. Finishes light with drying oak kicking in. The honey drizzled malt and dried banana re-emerge late in the aftertaste, but in a very subtle way. This doesn't offer the depth of its counterpart, 'Glenmorangie Signet', but it's around half the age. It's a solid whisky in the honeyed Balvenie house style. 47.1 Alc./Vol.

Other reviews..."Balvenie as you've never seen it before: it takes time to settle, but when it does it becomes an absolute mouth filling cracker!" 90 points - - Jim Murray's Whisky Bible 2011size>

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