Balblair 1983

Overall rating
88.79/100
votes
44
Whiskybase ID
WB74287
Category
Single Malt
Distillery
Bottler
Distillery Bottling
Bottling serie
1st Release
Vintage
1983
Bottled
2014
Casktype
American Oak Ex-Bourbon Barrels
Strength
46.0 % Vol.
Size
700 ml
Bottle code
L14 221 R14/5318 IB 12:39
Barcode
5010509800709
Added on
09 nov 2015 5:28 pm by Borza79
UncoloredNon-chillfiltered
Balblair 1983
Photo by John Barleycorn

Average value

€ 570.40

Found 3 online shops. Lowest price:

€ 489.00
Scotland Luvians Bottle Shop - Online £ 500.00
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Whisky reviews for Balblair 1983

11 users have left 12 reviews for this whisky. Average rating is 88.79 points.

  1. Ainulindale scored this whisky 89 points Member Senior

    A very smooth dram, all on fruit.
    • Nose
      88 88
      At first musty notes, honey, freshly overturned earth, apricot and prune, background of vanilla
    • Taste
      90 90
      Hitting on apricot heavily ... Very smooth. Oak in the finish and some butter and vanilla
    • Finish
      89 89
      Finish starts strong then evolves towards oak with an apricot marmelade finish

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  3. BehindSpace scored this whisky 91 points Connoisseur

    • Nose
      92 92
    • Taste
      91 91
    • Finish
      91 91

  4. cloudyweedram scored this whisky 85 points Expert Senior

    A lime juice with layered aromas and a jam-my finish.
    • Nose
      87 87
      The nose is rather timid. It took a good while to begin revealing it aromas. There's juicy honey, vanilla wafer and unripe banana, unexpectedly fresh. Brown sugar and almond added to the elegance, and canned peaches in syrup added to the richness. At this stage the nose was still quite reserved. With time, there's dried golden raisins. Bergamot and pear also appeared, accompanied by a little peanut oil, and coconut. When the nose settled in citrus fruits, there also came a hint of wood and pencil shaves. So indeed quite a lot was happening, and were well layered.
    • Taste
      84 84
      It started malty, but quickly overtaken by lightly sweetened lime juice, which is very dominant! It's mouth-coating. The mouthfeel leans a little towards the drier side, but just a little. It seems the taste is a bit monotonous compare with the nose.
    • Finish
      84 84
      The aftertaste is jam-my, like strawberry tart. The finish is long and mellow, seasoned by a little bitterness. It would fare better without the plastic-y aftertaste, although there's just a little.

  5. Whiskywiseguy scored this whisky 89 points Expert Junior

    • Nose
      Malt, banana, caramel
    • Taste
      Toffee, cherries, honey
    • Finish
      Vanilla, oak

  6. JeffreyP scored this whisky 91 points Member Junior

    Lovely tropical fruit in it!

  7. detachedblue scored this whisky 86 points Connoisseur

    Very decent and enjoyable
    • Nose
      Vanilla, modern style, citrus fruits, orange and apricot, quite fruity
    • Taste
      Elegant, orange and butter, toffee and fresh mints, then coffee beans and ice cream
    • Finish
      Long, with espresso and fruits

  8. Rick78 did not rate this whisky Expert Senior

    • Nose
      84 84
    • Taste
      83 83
    • Finish
      85 85

  9. Cubey666 scored this whisky 88 points Connoisseur

    tasted during a Balblair Masterclass, november 2015
    • Nose
      88 88
    • Taste
      87 87
    • Finish
      88 88

  10. WhiskyLovingPianist scored this whisky 89 points Connoisseur

    https://whiskylovingpianist.wordpress.com/2017/06/06/bottle-polishing-old-new/

    N: Never have I been so struck by such a intoxicatingly deliciously savoury=sweet, foosty-dry dunnage smell than at the Balblair distillery in Edderton, and i detect the same readily in this glass. Nosings of dunnage flowers [whatever they are], abundantly scented bouquets, some chocolate orange,... but back to that scent. Its more on sweet, floral gardens,....what do they call them? - sensory gardens!
    T: A bit winey to start with but soon a waxy, oily-ish barley note resides, developing on sweet chocolate liqueur, more fragrant flowers & fruits and pink wafer bisquits with wood tannins and white pepper. Dryish overall save for a waxy-dry mouthfeel & chewy developing into the finish - so theres a salivating quality despite the dryness.
    F: Moorish bourbon cask sugars with a finish as if id just finished a bowl of rolled oats soaked in coconut yoghurt, vanilla cream and cashew nut=oat milk. Lots of wood, though from decent refills in the main [i imagine]. Slight off-notes at the death [winey/oily crisps] but not before more oozing, barley chew. Clean, creamy bourbon finish - a tad mono-dimensional [a la, more recent Balblair releases], but it has given plenty.
    C: Aside from the confusing situation of the existence of two '1st releases' of the 1983 vintage and the batch variations between them (similar story with the 1997s im afraid), im also finding bottle variations within the same batches. Id not been totally convinced by this vintage in the past until i experienced the 2nd 1st release [2014] at the distillery itself. Wanting to dismiss any emotional/environmental/locational bias, this 'at home' bottle didnt quite match the one 'on location', but its not far off.[Balblair 1983] FINAL THOUGHTS

    N: Let's see what the final 10cl brings. Charming & divine, honeyed bourbon nose with nutty pecan pastries. Let it settle [still!], and its abound with fruits, tropical fruits, fragrant fruits - with plenty of jasmine & sweet-pea. The wood tannins have softened the spirit wonderfully without dominating.
    T: Adding water affects the mouthfeel by making it softer, even more divine.
    F: Its still quite spirity to the last drop, concluding with chocolate liqueur and vanilla cream.
    C: Think ive said it all, until the next sip hehe. A wonderful vintage indeed.Scores a B+

  11. WhiskyLovingPianist scored this whisky 89 points Connoisseur

    2015

    N: A sweet one, polite sweet, deliciously fruit sweet with orange caramel.
    T: Sweet again, sweet bell pepper, toffee-candy sweet, some goats cheese and mocha caramel - so dessert sweet.
    F: Neutral, savoury, candid bourbon cask notes. A little waxiness on chocolate>butter.
    C: Ive not been too wowed by the 1983 before. Maybe because the entry price was similar [and more] to the excellent 1975 vintage at the time [2013] but wow, today I'm wowed. More viably though, this is a different batch to the first few times i tried the ’83 vintage. Confusingly this is still called a 1st release but with a different bottling year - Inverhouse, you really should sort that out. This batch is a different experience every sip and I now want a bottle - but how much in 2016? Then again, how much is the 1975 going for now and is it still around? So 1983 it is, the current, available vintage oldie - recommended.

    Scores a B+

    2016

    N: Orange, honey & chocolate.

    T: Orange chocolate liqueur  - heart warming stuff.

    F: The sherry notes run alongside as a firm compliment to the oloroso/bourbon mix.

    C: This gets better everytime i encounter it.

    Scores an A-

  12. Paulski88 scored this whisky 86 points Expert Senior

    • Nose
      86 86
    • Taste
      85 85
    • Finish
      81 81

  13. John Barleycorn scored this whisky 91 points Connoisseur

    • Nose
      92 92
    • Taste
      94 94
    • Finish
      92 92

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