Balvenie Tun 1401 Batch 2 50.6%

These early batches (2011) are held in high regard for a reason. The sherry here is superb, reminiscent of an older style. A vivacious nose, gushing and eloquent. Plenty of rich sticky blacks and purples, close your eyes and you see sticky date pudding, glistening fruit drying in the sun and molten chocolate, but there’s also a complex earthy side with damp oak, dark resin pastes, upturned loam and mushrooms. Phenols add depth as well. Old beeswax, warm grease, old leather, aniseed candy, cola bitters and just a touch of cough syrup. Very well put together. 92 pts