The Balvenie 25 yo single Barrel

With # 13 getting 2 votes that worked out to one of my favorite scotches. While The Balvenie 25 yo Single cask is available in the U.S. the prices range from $220 to $310 a bottle, more than I want to spend. I ordered mine from www.royalmilewhiskies.com in Scotland for around $130 a bottle delivered.

UPDATE 10/2007 Price is now about $250

2000 Version



2003 Version


This particular bottle is #149 (of 250) from cask #15214 and was distilled on December 11th, 1974 and bottled on August 12th, 2000. It is 93.8 proof and is a great example of a Speyside whiskey.

After a dinner of chicken in wine sauce and an after dinner Gurkha Master Select Toro cigar (quickly becoming one of my favorites) I let my palate recover for an hour before pouring a dram of this wonderful scotch. The nose is a fine combination of honey oaky notes and a fragrent almost fruity bouquet that has a hint of lemon and peat. Upon tasting you go from a dryness that then becomes a burst of flavors with a nice sense of sweetness in the background. This is serious scotch and should be enjoyed with long lingering sips that completely coat your tongue. The finish lasts a very long time and is most pleasent.

While some of the professional reviewers say there is a hint of toffee, butterscotch, and vanilla I can only imagine these flavors myself but then I don't get paid to come up with things like that. I can tell you that this is one of the best scotches that I own and a favorite of mine for the last few years. Due to the cost it is mostly a special occasion scotch that will have you looking for reasons to pour yourself a dram.

Everyone over to AVB's house for an after Thanksgiving Scotch-N-Stick?

Sounds spectacular, my liver is jealous....

Great review. I'm gonna have to save up and order me a bottle for those special occasions

AVB said:

With # 13 getting 2 votes that worked out to one of my favorite scotches. While The Balvenie 25 yo Single cask is available in the U.S. the prices range from $220 to $310 a bottle, more than I want to spend. I order mine from www.royalmilewhiskies.com in Scotland for around $130 a bottle delivered.

This particular bottle is #149 (of 250) from cask #15214 and was distilled on December 11th, 1974 and bottled on August 12th, 2000. It is 93.8 proof and is a great example of a Speyside whiskey.

After a dinner of chicken in wine sauce and an after dinner Gurkha Master Select Toro cigar (quickly becoming one of my favorites) I let my palate recover for an hour before pouring a dram of this wonderful scotch. The nose is a fine combination of honey oaky notes and a fragrent almost fruity bouquet that has a hint of lemon and peat. Upon tasting you go from a dryness that then becomes a burst of flavors with a nice sense of sweetness in the background. This is serious scotch and should be enjoyed with long lingering sips that completely coat your tongue. The finish lasts a very long time and is most pleasent.

While some of the professional reviewers say there is a hint of toffee, butterscotch, and vanilla I can only imagine these flavors myself but then I don't get paid to come up with things like that. I can tell you that this is one of the best scotches that I own and a favorite of mine for the last few years. Due to the cost it is mostly a special occasion scotch that will have you looking for reasons to pour yourself a dram.

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Wanna send me 4 ounces in a plastic bottle? Trade ya straight up for good cigars. I have a cigar from 1974 and would like a scotch for 1974 w/o breaking the bank. Did I mention that 74 is my birth year, which happens to be my 30th next August. :0 Full on mooch attempt. :love:

Serious though, would trade ya even steven for it.

Emo

While it may be a first for this board, a virgin trade of scotch for cigars I'm going to have to pass on the idea. I don't know what breaking the bank is for you but besides the Balvenie there are two 30 yo Scotches you can easily find. The first is Dalmore Stillman's Dram 30 yo at about $150 and the second is Glenfiddich 30 yo at about the same price. I like the Glenfiddich more than the Dalmore but they are both good. I'd look into one of those, 30 yo scotch for a 30 yo guy. I'm saving for a 50 yo bottle for when I turn 50 and believe me I'll be lucky to spend ONLY 10x that much. :0

Thanks again for the sample of this. That aftertaste is still in my mind. A true classic! :thumbs:

I've had my eye on this bottle for over a year now. I was lucky enough to be at Casa Fuente last weekend and spotted a bottle behind their bar so I ordered a couple of glasses @ $30.00 each.

I was surprised to see how light colored this one is in the glass. You would think spending 25 years in an oak barrel would darken it a bit more. This noses as wonderful as it tastes and the finish is long and almost sweet. I sipped the 1st glass before lighting one of their Casa Fuente house brand cigars. It was 90 minutes of pure bliss I tell you!

www.bevmo.com has all their Balvenie line on sale this month. I bought the 15 year last week and hope to buy the 21 & 25 before the end of the month.

Nice to see the older reviews are still useful.

my local store still has this at around 250 a bottle. too rich for my blood.