Review #243: Balvenie 15 Single Cask Sherry

Speyside - 15 - NCF - NCA - $120 - 60.y%

Balvenie is a traditional Speyside malt that graces many a shelf.  In my experience, their OBs are too watered down to be enjoyable.  However, it does feel like they have good juice, but don't want to offer a craft option. 

Color - Burnished

Nose -  Bananas, vanilla, honey, cigar boxes, porridge

Palate -  Bananas, figs, vanilla, sherry spices, generic orchard fruit

Finish - Medium short - New wood, ginger, pepper, and more spices then it lingers to a raw oak

Overall - 5 - I was disappointed in this and would have been disappointed if I bought a bottle of this.  This tastes like it was a much reused sherry butt or was of poor quality to begin with.  There is a bit of sherry to it but more raw oak than there should be. There is a bit of the distillery characteristic with the banana notes but the age/abv/barrel selection just falls flat.  I came in hoping for a sherry bomb and this just fell flat.  It takes like a slightly better version of the OB 12.  This would be a solid pass from me.  

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Rating system is price influenced as it is based on my shopping decisions when buying a bottle.

10 Best in Show

9 Great Dram for Special Occasions

8 Worthy of consistent spot in my collection

7 Worth picking up a bottle if in the mood

6 I would buy a bottle if it went on sale
5.5 I really enjoyed but it will never be priced at where I would buy a bottle

5 I would drink it happily if offered

4 I would drink it if offered on the rocks

3 Maybe some soda will make this potable

2 I'll Pass

1 Toilet cleaner

Inclusive Ratings

Overall 6.1

Standard Deviation 0.92

Skew 0.66

Kurtosis -0.