[Page 1] Stories for «Ballantine's» category of A Wardrobe of Whisky

Ballantine's Twitter Tasting

By Miguel at 2014 Nov,24 in Tasting , Ballantine's

A few days ago I did a great Twitter Tasting with Steve Rush from The Whisky Wire and Ballantine’s. I really missed this kind of events. I have been away for four months but it looks like ages ago the last time I did…

Well, to be fair I wasn’t expecting a huge tasting, I have tasted a few Ballantine’s and I usually order Finest when I am out of home because it is better than the standard booze that they serve here and still cheap enough so you are not served so with a liver-crusher refilled whisky bottle. I love #Spain.

So, to the tasting… a few days before the tasting I got one of the hugest samples parcels that I have got in a lot of time. And I opened it and, oh, oh my, oh my my! Surprise! Five Ballantine’s whiskies to taste: Finest, 12yo , 17yo, 21yo and 30 years old.

I have already tasted some of them but I was particularly interested in two of them: the 30 years old and the 17 years old. I tasted long time ago the two of them and I wasn’t deeply touched by none of them.

So time to retaste them all!

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Ballantine 30 years old: Subtle maturity

By Miguel at 2012 Dec,18 in Tasting , Ballantine's

“Some persons would say this whisky is subtle... I say unimpressive. If I spend £180 in a whisky I expect much more”

89

75cl / 43% - This is the oldest in the Ballantine's range of quality aged Scotch Whiskies and is available only in very limited quantities.

This dram has a gold-like color.

Nose (88): more than average. honey, vanilla, citrus, pepper. This Ballantine's doesn't smell like 30 years old

Palate (89): smooth. honey, pepper, citrus, vanilla, liquorice, wood.

Finish (89): average. honey, pepper, floral.

So based on other whiskies I have already tasted I rate this Ballantines 30 Year Old with 89 points over 100.

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Ballantine's 12 years old Blue Seal Tasting note

By Miguel at 2011 Oct,05 in Tasting , Ballantine's

“A honest dram with a light taste and a short finish.”

84

Ballantine's is one the most famous blended scotch whiskies in the world.

Ballantine's 12 years old Blue is made with malt whisky from Miltonduff, Balblair, Glenburgie and Old Pulteney between others.

If you enjoy this blended whisky, you should try something like a Glenlivet 12 years old

This dram has a gold-like color.

Nose (87): strong. peaches, honey, floral, wood, raisins.

Palate (82): light, smooth. honey, peaches, malt, floral, citrus.

Finish (83): average. honey, floral.

So based on other whiskies I have already tasted I rate this Ballantine's 12 year Blue with 84 points over 100.

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Ballantine's 17 years old Tasting note

By Miguel at 2011 Jan,12 in Tasting , Ballantine's

87

Full-bodied, with creamy vanilla notes, this is one of the best blends available anywhere. A testament to the art of the master blender, and fiercely championed by Jim Murray.

This dram has a white-like color.

Nose (84): inexistent. dense, wood, honey, spices, hot. First nosing data is innacurate as the previous tasting sheet lacked of this field.

Palate (88): . honey, wood, fruits, pepper. it is really complex. Bouquet data is innacurate as the previous tasting sheet lacked of this field.

Finish (88): no finish. fruits and wood. a long finish. Finish length is innacurate as the previous tasting sheet lacked of this field.

So based on other whiskies I have already tasted I rate this Ballantine's 17 year with 87 points over 100.

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Ballantine's 12 years old Tasting note

By Miguel at 2011 Jan,11 in Tasting , Ballantine's

“A honest dram with a light taste and a short finish.”

84

Ballantine's is one the most famous blended scotch whiskies in the world.

Ballantine's 12 years old Blue is made with malt whisky from Miltonduff, Balblair, Glenburgie and Old Pulteney between others.

If you enjoy this blended whisky, you should try something like a Glenlivet 12 years old

This dram has a gold-like color.

Nose (87): strong. peaches, honey, floral, wood, raisins.

Palate (82): light, smooth. honey, peaches, malt, floral, citrus.

Finish (83): average. honey, floral.

So based on other whiskies I have already tasted I rate this Ballantine's 12 year Blue with 84 points over 100.

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Ballantine's Finest Tasting note

By Miguel at 2011 Jan,10 in Tasting , Recommended , Ballantine's

“A great whisky that doesn’t become a masterpiece because it has a light nose. The rest is a real good whisky. It worths trying it whatever you think of blends.”

85

Ballantine's Finest is a complex, refined and elegant blended scotch whisky.

It is regarded as the taste to satisfy a modern style. The original flavour, complexity and refinement comes from more than 50 single malt flavours.

The unmistakable Ballantine's flavour is dependent on these 50 single malts, 4 single grains and in particular the fingerprint malts from Miltonduff and Glenburgie. It is balanced because no one single component dominates.

This dram has a white-like color.

Nose (80): inexistent. sweet, alcohol, honey, fruits: apple and berries, some wood and flowers. First nosing data is innacurate as the previous tasting sheet lacked of this field.

Palate (92): . sweet, wood, honey and vanilla. Bouquet data is innacurate as the previous tasting sheet lacked of this field.

Finish (84): no finish. sweet, honey and vanilla. Finish length is innacurate as the previous tasting sheet lacked of this field.

So based on other whiskies I have already tasted I rate this Ballantine's Finest with 85 points over 100.

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George Ballantine and sons

By Miguel at 2011 Jan,09 in Featured , Ballantine's

George Ballantine

Dumbarton Grain distillery

Sandy Hyslop

Ballantine’s whiskies are examples of what the art of blending whisky can achieve. Whatever you think of blended whiskies you really need to give a try to them.

The short name of George Ballantine and sons. A brand of blended whiskies located in Dumbarton, Scotland.

Founded in 1827 by George Ballantine, a farmer, as a grocery in Edimburg that supplied a range of whiskies to his clients.
In 1865 George delegates to his eldest son Archibald. He opens a larger establishment in Glasgow and concetrate in the wine and spirits trade.
Archibald Ballantine created his own blended whisky. As a result of the growing the second son enters in the business.

Ballantine’s is sold to Barclayand McKinlay in 1919. And adquired later by Canadian distiller Hiram Walker in 1937. Hiram Walker adquire Miltoduff and Glenburgie. These two single malts make the sould of the Ballantine’s blends. Also a new grain distillery was built at Dumbarton, the largest in Europe.

In 1988 became part of Allied Domecq. Four years later, the grain distillery is mothballed and the production of grain whisky is moved to Strathclyde.

In 2005, the brand is adquired by Pernod Ricard, which still mantains a large bonded warehouse and bottling plant in Dumbarton.

A year later, Sandy Hyslop is appointed Ballantine’s Master Blender, the fifth in 180 years.

These are my bottles of Ballantines.