Whiskeytemple_Vladimir 
Аромат – силно „торфен“ и пикантен, медицински мирис, почти като при Лафройг, но някак по-неконтролиран, дим, сол, мирис на „кожен стол“, слаби сушени плодове, слаба сладост, спомен за фъстъчено масло, спиртен, нафталин. Уискито е 46-градусово и добавих вода, която обаче не му помага особено. Долових карамел, сладост и мехлем. Вкус – силно пикантен, обилно „торфен“, горчив, долових и метална нотка, отново спомен за стар дрешник, в който има нафталин. С вода – нищо по-различно, още спомен за „сажди“. Финал – траен, горчивина, фъстъци, „торф“, по-късно и малко сладост. С вода – ментово усещане и горчивина.
Оценка: 78-79/100
Ballechin 10 y.o. single malt whisky
From the smallest distillery in Scotland, that of Edradour, originate some of the most delicious malt distillates I’ve tasted so far. The production processes in Edradour are managed by just three men, who produce a limited quantity of whisky each year, and the most of it become available as a single malt distillate. The owners, Signatory, put a lot of effort and resources to obtain some of the best wine barrels, in which the liquid completely matures or just finishes its aging process in them.
In the blog, I already reviewed their representatives several times and you can find them /as well as more information about the history of the Edradour distillery/ by using the search engine. An interesting fact, concerning the size of the stills is that they are just above the minimum size allowed by the Scottish legislation. Besides the idea to avoid the high excise duty, value of which years ago was precisely calculated according to the size of the still, their shape and dimensions probably aim richer and complex final distillate. And if I write only about the Edradour distillery so far, but the review bears the name of Ballechin single malt whisky, then there is why. In the early years of the 19th century, in the region of Perthshire /where Edradour is also located/, Ballechin distillery was founded by a farmer /Kennedy/. There isn’t much data available about it, but it certainly was one of the seven farm buildings in the area reconstructed for the purposes of making whisky, which closed its doors permanently in 1927. In 2002, the independent bottler Signatory, purchased Edradour and decided to resurrect the Ballechin brand by starting production of whisky under the same name. But unlike the other Edradour distillates, it is heavily peated /50 ppm, in comparison with about 40 ppm at Laphroaig and Lagavulin/. Besides the standard ex-Oloroso Sherry and ex-bourbon casks, they also use and wine casks. What prompted this innovation in the products? First, the increased demand for peated whisky, and second – the accession of Ian Henderson (former manager at Laphroaig distillery) to the distillery’s team.
So far I have tried only the ‘base’ distillate of Ballechin – the one in the picture, which is matured in bourbon barrels, and maybe sherry, however, it was terribly difficult to detect.
Aroma – strongly peaty and spicy, medicinal smell, almost like at Laphroaig, but somewhat uncontrolled, smoke, salt, a smell of „leather chair“, weak dried fruits, light sweetness, a hint of peanut butter, alcohol, naphthalene. The whisky is with an alcoholic strength of 46% and I added water, but it did not help much. I caught caramel, sweetness and ointment. Taste – strongly spicy, very peaty, bitter, ‘metallic’ note, a memory of old wardrobe, which has a naphthalene /again/. With water – nothing different, more hints of ‘soot’. Finish – lasting, bitterness, peanuts, peat and a bit of sweetness appears later. With water – minty sensation and bitterness.
Assessment: 78-79/100
In summary: too much peat for my taste, which completely dominates the whisky.
