Balvenie Vintage 1966

Balvenie Vintage 1966, 31 YO, 45.5 %

One rare occasions, and it feels like it is getting more and more rare, I get the chance to taste really old bottlings. One such whisky is this Balvenie Vintage 1966; a single cask release that was distilled on 1966-02-14 and bottled 1997-11-20. The total outturn was 204 bottles.

There are no further details on the cask. So this is it. I’m not going to quibble - I’ll just get in there and start taking notes and enjoying this dram.

Nose: Dusty strawberries - in a good way, you understand? There’s a refined, fruity sweetness here, but it is fragile and delicate. Citrus - leaning towards oranges, and perhaps lime zest. When I say the fruitiness is delicate, this dram is by no means a lightweight. It has a very distinct presence. The aromas filled the room immediately when I opened the bottle, much like a heavily peated whisky will - but this one is unpeated, just big. White pepper. Hints of polish and old Chesterfield leather armchairs. With time soft hints of perfume - but it is well behaved and works as a “spice” here. Dark chocolate and warm caramel sauce. With further time passing it morphs into a lighter spirit, I get more citrus notes now - still mainly oranges, but also vanilla and assorted tropical fruits.

Taste: Oh, wow! Calling a whisky smooth is a cliche, I get that, but the mouthfeel on this dram is beyond smooth. The spices demand more attention than the fruits on the palate. Pepper, ginger, cinnamon and nutmeg. Mildly fruity, but harder to pick out individual aromas. I would describe it more as ripe apples with a tropical side note in the guise of pineapple and mango.

Finish: Very long finish. Darker now - and more creamy - almost buttery in style. More caramel and toffee notes. Drier in character. Hints of herbs and other greener notes as well. Oaky, for sure, but delicately so. It just keeps going forever..

Comment: I feel privileged to be able to taste whiskies like this.

Score 93/100

Cheers, Jonny!

Sláinte!
-Thomas