Third in our sampling quartet of Ballantine’s Signature Distillery Collection was Glenburgie…

I will admit to having certain expectations of this expression… Late 2015, we sampled the Glenburgie 15 year and two years ago, I also briefly sampled a Glenburgie 18 year old independent bottling… Between past brushes with this distillery and particularly after the surprisingly good Miltonduff, I was primed to enjoy!

So, did this Ballantine’s blend meet or exceed my anticipation?

Ballantine’s Glenburgie

Here is what we found:

Ballantine’s Glenburgie 17 year 40%

• Nose – When first opened sour notes – cereals, maltiness, sweet but with a musty undertone, then dried orange, vanilla, some dried rose petals, slightly earthy though on the lighter side
• Taste – Just managed to avoid (barely!) being cloyingly sweet, then moved into woody notes, and finally a little spice with pine
• Finish – Starts a bit smokey but relatively unremarkable, then shifts into a bitter after taste

Overall – The most complex of the bunch yet also vaguely schizophrenic. For my companion, it simply was not worth the effort and time to unwrap the full flavour package. The nose at least initially took us on a journey however was belied by the overwhelming sweetness on the palate… There was at least some different elements however they simply didn’t come together harmoniously.

I couldn’t help but recall the delightful Glenburgie 15 year Gordon & MacPhail bottling we sampled in November. It was pronounced the “Downton Abbey” of whiskies as there was an elegant refinement to it, yet still had sufficient happening to make it worth paying attention to…

It’s Ballantine’s blend cousin? Just couldn’t match up. Not even close. Pity.

Related posts:

• Welcome to Ballantine’s Signature Distillery Collection 17 year
• Glenburgie 15 year (Gordon & MacPhail)
• Glenlivet Nadurra, Scapa 16 year, Micher’s Straight Rye, Kilchoman Spring 2011, Caroni 18 year
• Glenburgie 18 year (Signatory)

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