N.V. Balvenie 15 YO Single Barrel Sherry Cask 47.8%

Nose: huge faultless sherry: clean, confident and muscling in with wonderful spices and burnt raisin. Enormous… but how is the body doing to cope with this little lot…? Taste: a complete sherry fest from first to last. Melton Hunt cake at its moistest, with many burnt raisings as they could throw into the mix and a few extra dollops of molasses for good measure. Finish: some bitterness was bound to catch up at some stage… it cannot with this kind of cask as toastiness abounds. But long and satisfying all the way… Balance: a faultless cask – not a shadow of sulphur anywhere. But a case of where the grape has overwhelmed the barley meaning balance has been compromised: and on the palate it feels as though you have been mugged by an oloroso butt. That said, this is still a stunning experience - a silky delight to be savoured. 47.8%. No more than 650 bottles.

Jim Murray, Whisky Bible    Score: 95/100