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+

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-

tasted during a Balblair Masterclass, november 2015