Review #822 - SMWS 48.136 'Two Aspects of the Same' - Balmenach 17 Year
Even among independent bottlers, it isn't common to see whisky from the distillery Balmenach; the only versions that we've tried have come via the Scotch Malt Whisky Society. This Speyside distillery, owned by Inver House, makes whisky that is primarily destined for use in blends.
This single cask example spent its full 17 years of maturation in a first fill ex-bourbon barrel; because of that, we could get some nice maturity, but still some of that Balmenach distillate, which is supposed to be full of fruity and malty notes. Even after 17 years of aging, this whisky was bottled at a punchy 61.2% ABV.
SMWS 48.136 'Two Aspects of the Same' - Balmenach 17 Year
Scotland/Speyside - Single Malt
Price: USD 180 (2025)
Age Statement: 17 Years
Strength: 61.2% ABV
Cask Makeup: First fill ex-bourbon barrel
Details: Not chill filtered, no color added; distilled January 7, 2004; 190 bottles
Tasting Methodology: Reviewed 4 times over 7 months; bottles at 100%, 90%, 80%, and 70% fill levels at times of review. Tasted in a nosing glass each time, rested 15+ minutes
Nose: Fruit-forward with strong strawberry bubblegum and orchard fruit notes, but there's a malty backbone and a bit of dry oak. Honey, peach liqueur, apricot, and grape are met by rustic artisan bread, floral perfume, and clove. Shoe polish or wood varnish, golden raisin, and cantaloupe are accents; we also get vanilla and yellow cake.
Palate: Bubblegum and juicy fruits, Smarties candies, and tons of apricot jam - very, very sweet and fruity, but it's also quite hot with that strength. Rose wine, honey, and buttery baked goods... then strong malt, as well as cherry and other berries. The notes keep coming: Chardonnay, watermelon candies, wine gums, apple, and pear. Every tasting brings something different; the mouthfeel is medium-thick, with great oily texture.
Finish: Warming, with vanilla, soft dry oak, and cinnamon and clove. Apple pie, grape candies, and more strawberry bubblegum continue the fruit theme, and we get a mild lactic yogurt note at times, along with toasted oak and lemon cake. Icing sugar and malt linger in the aftertaste.
Final Note: This whisky is a bit closed up, and water made a massive difference when tasting it. It opens to a huge fruit bouquet, and each tasting, we found different notes; overall, it was quite sweet and hot, and we did get two common flavor themes each time: bubblegum and strong malty notes.
There is more oak influence than some younger single malts, but overall, we felt that this bottle tasted slightly younger than its 17 years. The strength has also not been tamed by that longer maturation time, and this still tasted a bit fiery and raw at times. Overall, it's a good single malt, an interesting one, but it doesn't quite make it to the 'great' category for us.
Value is a little below average since this bottle was relatively expensive with a price point around $180 here in the US. We're interested to try more Balmenach in the future, especially a sherry-matured or finished version, but so far, the results of these casks has been a bit mixed in our experience (when taking price into account).
Our Rating: 7.4 / 10
In the current whisky landscape of increasing prices and variable quality, we've added a value rating to our reviews that relates to the score and the available pricing of each whisky. This roughly equates to a 0-10 scale; no reviews so far have exceeded a score of 10, although it is technically possible for the formula to produce a value rating higher than 10 with a high enough score and low enough price.
Value Rating: 5.22
About Us: We're a husband and wife review team living in the Midwest United States. Generally, our reviews and tasting notes will be a compilation of both of our experiences with a whisky over several tasting sessions.
Check out our other Balmenach reviews:
Review #67 - SMWS 48.124 'A Carpenter's Bench' - Balmenach 8 Year
