Happy Eight-er: The Balvenie Tun 1401 Batch Eight (8) SIngle Malt Scotch Whisky

This might look like Neil (top) and Joel (bottom), but really it's the movie poster. Honest.

There are elements to writing where, sometimes, inspiration just doesn’t hit. Reporting fact, you can’t go too wrong: you already have a narrative of facts set out in front of you, the skill is ordering it for the reader, to make it make sense, even if there is no conclusion. With creative writing, you’re faced with a blank page and off you go. If there is nothing there, then there is little else you can do than wait. And wait. And wait some more.

How does one get around this blank slate, this empty void, this deserted page? Well, if  you’re the brilliant Coen brothers, the movie writers/makers/producers (and a second nod in as many weeks for one of the Coen brothers, Joel, who is also a writer on The Simpsons) then, when faced with this situation, you write a movie about it. Which is exactly what happened when, mid-way through writing their film Miller’s Crossing, the pair were hit with writers block. To clear the creative dam, they wrote Barton Fink, a story about a holywood scriptwriter inflicted with the same problem.

"We're only interested in one thing, Bart. Can you tell a story? Can you make us laugh? Can you make us cry? Can you make us want to break out in joyous song? Is that more than one thing? Okay!" – Jack Lipnick, Barton Fink

Often, it can feel a little like this, when sitting down to write this blog. We’re lucky- we have facts we can report. But who wants a repetition of what’s written on the label of a bottle? If you want that, go and read the label on the bottle. We have tasting notes- that’s always a help. But writing the rest... that can be a real challenge at times.

However, let’s face it, the best stories told are by the whiskies from the casks. Be they three years and a day old, or somewhere approaching four decades of age, these are the true story-tellers of the business; they’re the raconteurs who will leave you wanting more, posing questions and generally leaving you thinking that you’ve had a wonderful time. They are the true marketers, the true brand ambassadors, the stars of any tasting. Simple, yet complex at the same time, it is their richness of experience which you have paid for, their headline slot the turn for which you wait.

The release of the new Balvenie Tun 1401 seems to have become an annual staple in the whisky calendar, and what a good thing that is. Not a duffer yet  in the already eight strong line of releases, it started with just 300 bottles of the Batch 1 (now an true ‘investment grade’ whisky, whatever that means) which we reviewed here (even looking at each of the invidivual casks which went in to it) and this week saw the release of the latest batch.

The Tun holds around 2000 litres and each batch is created my their Malt Master, David Stewart. As this is made up of 12 casks, the most yet (ranging from the 1970’s up to 1991), with three of the casks being European oak and the rest coming from America, it’s outturn is around 2500 bottles worldwide.

The Balvenie – Tune 1401 – Batch 8 – 50.2% abv  - £220 available here

Nose: A big nose crammed with rich apricot jam, honey, freshly cut ginger, toffee, cinnamon and liquorice. It is a heavy nose; big and rich and befitting of a well aged whisky.

Palate: Ginger cake, very rich and oily honey. Hints of Four Roses single barrel bourbon coming through (big red cherries and hot strawberry jam) with fresh vanilla pods. Some cinnamon.

Finish: Toffee apples, spices and that honey note again.

Overall: This is not a slugger of a dram. The Balvenie makes some very quaffable whiskies (their doublewood is a whisky you can pretty much throw the cork away on, and their new 15yo single barrel release, reviewed here, isn’t far behind) but this is a totally different beast: still very much The Balvenie, but it is big and rich and demands you take time over it. The sort of dram you want to take a lot of time over. It also develops well with water, so if you do get hold of a bottle and decide to open it (go on, it’ll be worth it!), then please, please, please.... find some time to enjoy this dram.

Tun 1401 batch 8 is whisky which has a simple story; it lets the liquid do the talking. Throughout this range there is continued excellent consistency from The Balvenie. There is a reason why these are popular at auction: they’ve managed to get the balance between collectability and drinkability absolutely spot on.

Get in the queue now for batch 9...

Jubileeeeehah! A Brace of Brand New Macallans To Celebrate The Coronation

The world of collectible whiskies is an extraordinary place - and it has undoubtedly travelled a very long way since we've been actively writing about whisky. I distinctly remember the moment when it dawned on me that people actually 'covet' whisky; not just for its simple unctuous enjoyment, but to hold, to gaze upon and to store behind glass, like precious possessions.  

The Macallan 'Peter Blake At 80' set

Fast forward to 2013 and the world of the collectible whisky is of course still dividing opinion and sparking mass hysteria within the whisky drinking community. A quick glance at Scotch Whisky Auctions will tell you that the likes of The Macallan, The Balvenie and Port Ellen are the barometers for how profitable whisky has become.  The Macallan in particular has, like no other brand, managed to create not only objects of desire (consider last year's Diamond Jubilee bottling,  or the Sir Peter Blake box of curiosities) from their special limited edition releases, but couple them with outstanding liquids.  It creates quite a conundrum really:  To drink, or to covet?  

Well, the conundrum is likely to get even more tricky from today, as The Macallan are back with another limited edition bottling, this time to celebrate the Queen's Coronation 60 years ago. However, this time, unlike the Royal wedding bottling, or the aforementioned Diamond Jubilee release, the distiller has decided to release a brace of 350ml bottles that form a set to commemorate the celebration.  

The Macallan Diamond Jubilee bottling

Designed by long time The Macallan collaborator, Art Director David Holmes, each bottle will feature a different image of the Queen, one taken in the year of the coronation by Cecil Beaton and another taken in 2004 by portrait photographer Julian Caulder.  Two sides to mark the remarkable life the Queen has undoubtedly lived.  

The liquid types could not be more different. Neither carries an age statement, but the hallmarks of both vibrant American oak and intense sherry cask maturation are on display. 

Both the Royal Wedding and Jubilee bottlings were superb expressions.  Quite how many are actually open is anyone's guess (not that many, by the looks of SWA) so will this new release only serve to bolster the collectors market for The Macallan?  Without even trying either whisky, only a fool would bet on them not selling out, but what we're really here to discuss are the different liquids themselves and fortunately, our two slightly-less-beautifully-packaged sample bottles will do more than enough justice.  

The Macallan -  Coronation Bottling - Cecil Beaton - 58.1% - 35cl

Nose: Initially, a lively zesty affair, but given a few minutes in the glass, this really is a breathtakingly sweet affair: vanilla bean-rich white chocolate, golden syrup, tonka bean, Victoria sponge cake and vanilla pipe tobacco notes swirl elegantly with a light orange blossom. Superbly light weight, perfumed and rich.

Palate: The strength gives this a punchy mouthfeel, but after a burst of spice (liquorice and ginger) the vanilla rich aromas are transported to the palate, with a buttery richness developing. Water calms down the spice and brings out more of the vanilla, with some sweet cereal notes helping to deliver a very pleasing and fatty mouthfeel.  

Finish: Lingering oakiness gives way to a return of the vanilla/golden syrup and a touch of menthol right on the very death.  

Overall: The Macallan, but wearing a plush velvet suit with a soft ermine collar. It's the sort of whisky that drapes itself over you - a comforting blanket of sweet treats and satin textures.  Superb stuff. 

Next up, a more mature and complex side to the Queen... The Macallan style...

The Macallan -  Coronation Bottling -  Julian Caulder - 55.7% - 35cl

Nose: If the Beaton bottling was white chocolate personified, this is its nemesis.  Layers of cocoa and fattened rum-soaked raisins and figs mix with an overly woody spice note of cinnamon and nutmeg.  The vanilla of the other bottling hasn't diminished completely, more pushed into the background to be discovered.  But when you do dig deeper, there are plenty of surprises.  Kirsch soaked cherries, toasted Brazil nuts, a touch of walnut and masses of dried fruit, all with a swish of creamy custard.  Hugely complex and very Macallan, but with such finesse.  

Palate: Like the Beaton bottling, it gets off to a hot start, but the spices drive through, with a warming cinnamon, liquorice and cola note leading into diced dates, raisins molasses, dark leaf tobacco and dark chocolate. Water simply adds to the complexity and helps develop the spicy notes and the length of the dark chocolate.  

Finish: Lingering raisins, sour cherries and cocoa help to emphasise the richness of the sherry influence. 

Overall: A Macallan through and through, this is a whisky that takes time to fully uncover, but rewards the drinker with complexity, spice and a darker, more robust side.  If the Beaton bottling was the Queen pottering round Sandringham tending to her roses in the summer, this is Her Majesty polling around the grounds of Balmoral on a cold autumn day in her Harris tweeds.  

All in all, both bottlings are so different to the other, but each definitively a Macallan and proud.  Another triumphant release - and one which we hope will not just sit on display in a collector's cabinet. For to simply gaze on these whiskies from afar is to do the whisky's creator, Bob Dalgarno a distinct disservice and possibly a Tower'able offence.  

The Macallan Coronation set will be priced at £350 and is limited to 1953 bottles, available from the Macallan Visitors Centre and online (UK customers only) 

Single Life - The Balvenie 12 Years Old Single Barrel Single Malt Scotch Whisky

There is a lot of talk in the whisky business about single casks. One off, limited edition offerings which give a snapshot of 550 litres of spirit from one day at a distillery, left to its own devices to mature away. Once deemed ready, it is removed, bottled and sold, usually for a higher margin than those other whiskies either sent off to join a blend, or those chosen to stay as part of a single malt release from said operator.

However, putting together a blend is not easy work, as we recently discovered when constructing out limited edition offering for our A – Z of whiskies, Cutty Sark (available here for £34.95). The previous two releases we did, from Arran and BenRiach, were both single cask offerings and, it has to be said, choosing them was a much easier task than the time we spent in the blending room, learning from Master Blender Kirsteen Campbell.

Making up over 90% of the global Scotch whisky market, blends are works of art, skilfully constructed from a multitude of different whiskies. Single casks, however are almost a freak of nature, chosen as they are for the exceptional quality and bottled in naturally limited quantities, due to the very nature of the size of the cask (minus the Angels’ share, of course).

As such, single casks tend to be the domain of either the independent bottler who has stocks of whisky lying around, or as one-off special releases from the distillery owners themselves, often carrying a hefty price tag.

But there is one distillery that should be praised for releasing a consistent stream of single casks. Nestled away in the heart of Speyside, on the road out of Dufftown towards Craigellachie, sits The Balvenie.

Having recently enhanced both their core range (adding the 17 Year Old Double Wood which we reviewed here) and their offerings in Duty Free (which I saw last week in Edinburgh Airport on their first day of release- and very nice they look too, being ‘triple casks’, a marrage of three styles of cask), they’ve also turned their eyes to their single barrel offering, expanding the range from just one at 15 years old to two, adding a lower age version, at 12 years old.

The original 15 years old is taken from a refill ex-bourbon cask, where as this new 12 years old is given a lift by the use of whisky exclusively from first fill bourbon barrels. Numbered and labelled, there are due to be no more than 300 bottles drawn from any one cask. Unlike the 15 years old, it will not carry a date of distillation and bottling, which is a shame.

Now, a distillery releasing single casks is nothing new. But a distillery doing single casks as part of a core range is fairly unusual. Even more remarkably, a distillery offering these out at prices such as £57 for the 15 years old and £44 for the 12 years old really is madness.

The Balvenie – 12 Years Old – Single Barrel – First Fill American Oak – 47.8% abv

Note: this is a single cask, therefore the tasting notes will be for this specific bottling (300 only or less) but will provide an overall direction of where this whisky will sit in the core range from The Balvenie.

Nose: Over ripe bananas, runny honey, heather, malted milk biscuits and a hint of toasted pine nuts and basil. Vanilla and apricot are found, too with some pear drops. Very fruity and light.

Palate: The apricots really spring through at the front of the palate with some fantastic red and green apples, the pear drops again, then rich runny honey and all underpinned with a fantastic oily nature. Very delicious.

Finish: Fairly short, with some spices (cinnamon baked apple) and a big hit of vanilla.

Overall: This is a very good whisky. As per the note at the top, each batch will change and vary slightly. The 5cl we have was provided by the PR company and doesn’t carry the batch number on it, so we can’t tell you which one it was, which is a real shame as it means both you, dear reader, and I are unable to head out to buy this particular batch... boooo.

This is a fantastic new offering from The Balvenie. With a line up that now seems to run as a 1, 2, 3 (1- single barrels / 2- double wood releases with two wood style influences / 3- the ‘triple cask’ duty free offerings, giving three styles of cask influence), their range is really developing very nicely. 

Having released a younger edition of the single barrel from a first fill American oak cask, I only hope they look to do an older one, maybe from a barrel made closer to this small island. But who knows. For the time being, I just wish this 5cl sample was 14 times bigger...

A Mötley Crew Indeed... Southbank Centre Whisky Club

Smashing into 2013 like a greased up, white hot juggernaught of whisky, hitting a Ford Transit Van full of salted Lurpak butter, Caskstrength's January has thus far been undoubtedly our busiest yet. Book launches, new tastings, creative projects, writing and a host of fun have all entered the swiftly emerging horizon and so far, we've been feeling slightly light headed as a result.  In other interesting news, our 5th annual BiG award (Best in Glass) has recently sparked off a flurry of international interest, especially in the New York Times with Balcones single malt release proving that craft distillation is very much alive, well and turning out some highly individual and engaging spirits.

Anyway, back to what we know best: writing and talking about whisky.  

Last night was our first Southbank Centre Whisky Club date for 2013 and the line up was undoubtedly the best yet: premium whiskies of the highest order. The club, which was started this time last year for members of the Southbank Centre and Royal Festival Hall is now open to non-members and it was wonderful to see a few familiar faces last night and regular readers of Caskstrength grinning as the drams were being poured.  But then again, who wouldn't want to open their 2013 malt account with this little motley crew and a view of Big Ben after dark?

From the left:  Balvenie Portwood 21yo, MacKinlay's recreation, Highland Park 21yo,
Nikka Pure Malt 17yo and SMWS Glen Moray 38yo

In fact, we were so taken with the whiskies, that we decided to do a little write up on each one-  (as we reviewed the MacKinlay's recently click here for a full report)

Balvenie Portwood 21yo -  40%

Nose: A wonderful richness, with floral wax, fresh cherries, wine soaked oak and spiced oranges. 

Palate: Bold and creamy, but with a secondary wave of fresh cherries, lemon zest, a hint of liquorice and oaky, ruby port. 

Finish: The oak is balanced perfectly with a lingering note of fresh fruit.

Overall: On a show of hands, this very much looked the dram to beat... until our next one popped its head up, but a truly outstanding example of how to bottle a near perfect whisky.




Highland Park 21yo - 40%

Nose: Manuka honey, a touch of dried ginger, liquorice, juicy apples dusted in cinnamon and brown sugar. The peat is soft, floral and slightly waxy.  Wonderful and refined.

Palate: Soft sweet malt, stewed red berries, patisserie cream, some green apple freshness and a sprinkling of rich brown sugar.  Tantalising and extremely moreish.

Finish: Honeyed malt notes are left on the palate, with a touch of slightly more medicinal peat.

Overall: HP 21yo at this strength is just superb.  The 18yo ranks as one of the all-time greats and this is another step up in the staircase of malt perfection.  

Nikka Pure Malt 17yo - 43%


Nose: Bold and bright, with strong PVA notes, a mineral/chalky note, swiftly followed up with some very unique peatiness (smoked straw), rich malt extract and old lobster pots/ brine.  Very distinct indeed.

Palate: Very clean, with come sweet candied cherries, icing sugar, malted milk biscuits a touch of pears steeped in white wine and vanilla, plus a slightly smoky backbeat.  

Finish:  The creamy notes take the longest time to diminish, alongside the peat smoke and fresh fruit.

Overall: Balanced on the palate, giving the hallmarks of lingering oak alongside some youthful exuberance.  Nikka are really beginning to fill in the gaps left by the likes of Suntory's Hakushu and Yamazaki, as well as the hugely sherried Karuizawa with their approach to intricately peated whiskies. this is yet another 'must-buy', if you're looking for something different from a Japanese whisky.

Scotch Malt Whisky Society: 35.63 (Glen Moray) 1974 Single Cask - 45.3%


Nose: A very dry note to begin with, which takes a little time to open up. But when it does, the fun begins: graphite/pencil shavings, a hint of freshly modelled clay, lemongrass, golden syrup, creamy fudge, vanilla essence and stewed plums.

Palate: The initial dryness gives way to some gingery notes, sweet potato, lemongrass something slightly medicinal (child's cough syrup) and a hint of woody anise.

Finish: Slightly dry, with a crisp oakiness leading the way and a touch of cooking apple.

Overall:  Yes, this is showing signs of its age, but there's still plenty in the tank to get excited about.  A great way to round off our tasting with and judging by the fair share of hands -  a firm favourite for some of our Whisky Club members.

If you'd like to come along to our next Southbank Centre Members Whisky Club, (on March 6th, covering Irish whiskey) visit the Southbank Centre website, where you can become a member (and get plenty of benefits, including significant discounts on events at the Royal Festival Hall, as well as access to the members lounge.  You can also email us info(at)caskstrength(dot)net for details and tickets, as our 2013 events schedule (including gin, cocktails, and many more) are now open to everyone.

18 Under 30 Part Two: The Balvenie 12 Year Old Doublewood Single Malt Scotch Whisky

As the previous post from yesterday laid out, in the run up to Christmas we are giving you eighteen suggestions of bottles which cost under £30. The first recommendation was a beer; something a little unusual for us, but don’t be surprised to see other non-whisk(e)y products crop up. Why? Because this is Christmas, the Season of Goodwill to all men (and all booze). 

Over the month of December, it is good to have a variety of drinks to call on and you may, without giving anything away, see some pretty usual items for a whisky website pop up.

However, not this time! No sirreee... this time we’re firmly back in the realm of whisky and back at the heart of Scotch: Speyside.

Often at this time of year, you’ll find various deals on bottles of booze and this little beauty is one which often finds itself with a tantalisingly low price tag. The Balvenie 12 Year Old Doublewood is a cracking stalwart of a whisky and one which, if you’re giving a bottle as a gift or simply looking for a bottle to serve to those seasonal visitors, is a total winner.

Number 2 in our 18 Under 30: The Balvenie - 12 Year Old Doublewood - 40% ABV

Nose: An entertaining mix of light vanilla, lemon & orange zest and sweet caramels, mixed with some delicate sherry notes, dark honey and woody spices. Runny honey is the key with this easy drinker.

Palate: The vanilla, honey and orange zest all hit the palate first, back-dropped by moist raisins, some fig and a big spoonful of  sherry which mellowed out to create a smooth and sweet taste. Very open and balanced.

Finish: Drying cask notes, with a long fruity/nutty note. Warming and most definitely festive!

Overall: This is a proper classic of a dram. Consistent and well constructed; if you ever want to seduce someone who claims not to love whisky, this could be the fatal bullet in your gun.

Under £30 here and here

Seventeen Again. The New Balvenie DoubleWood

As significant dates go, a 50th anniversary is pretty special.  A few months ago, The Balvenie's Malt Master, David Stewart celebrated his 50th year of working for the company.  Hard to imagine in this day and age of fast paced jobs, head huntings and ambition that anyone could stay with the same company for their entire working life. But as we all know, the whisky business is unique in its approach.

In the same way that great whisky takes time to mature, to grow and develop its own personality, the makers of these revered liquids nurture their own talents. David Stewart has been responsible for a number of masterpieces in his time at The Balvenie - most notably the idea of cask finishing, subsequently creating The Balvenie DoubleWood.  12 year old DoubleWood has been on our list of cabinet staples since we started this website; it was Joel's first foray into single malt and one of the first discoveries I made after having my senses blasted to bits by the first taste of heavily peated whiskies.

It seems fitting then, that after 50 years Stewart has made a welcome return to the principle of DoubleWood, creating a brand new 17 year old expression.  Like its younger brother, the 17 year old whisky has been matured for the large proportion of its life in American oak barrels, finally being transferred to larger European oak sherry casks. The Balvenie have always remained relatively tight-lipped about the exact length of time this 'finishing' process takes - and to be fair, we really don't care how long it takes -  so long as the process works!

So how does the 17 year old stack up?  To use a music analogy -  when bands have phenomenal success with their first record, the pressure to produce a huge hit the second time round is enormous - will this sophomore release capture that same sense of excitement, which David Stewart first pioneered?

The Balvenie - DoubleWood - 17 Years Old -  43% - RRP £75

Nose: A wonderful note of syrup-covered soft fruit hits first -  think strawberries, blueberries and gooseberry, mixed with golden syrup, rich honey and brown sugar - with aromas like this, it could rot your teeth from 20 yards away! Given time, the vanilla notes emerge with fresh cherries, some kirsch notes and a hint of woody spice.  Superbly balanced and unquestionably a Balvenie.

Palate: Spices galore (clove, cinnamon and a touch of chilli) mix with fresh apple juice, brown sugar, fat juicy raisins and sweet malt.  Absolutely wonderful stuff -  as drinkable as the 12 year old, but with more refinement, complexity and wisdom.  

Finish:  Some citrus notes develop late on the palate, with a darker malt note, (extract) rich bittersweet cocoa and freshly roasted coffee beans.

Overall:  There's only one big disappointment about this whisky.  And that's that when David Stewart finally decides hang up his blending coat, one wonders just where the distillery will be without his undisputed talents to make whiskies as great this -  will this be the last one from the Stewart stable?  

We hope not. Based on the qualities of this release, William Grant & Sons should think about investing in a way to cryogenically freeze him.  Balvenie DoubleWood 30, 40 and 50 year olds anyone??

The Balvenie Unveil new Tun 1401 Batch 5

In a busy week for new whisky releases (and some gins!) we find ourselves at the newly refurbished Savoy Hotel on The Strand, where a veritable gem of a whisky is about to be unveiled.  We've been fans of the Tun 1401 series and batch 2 stood out for its superb complexity, the exquisite balance  of both elderly sherry and bourbon casks, which David Stewart has married together making this one to definitely savour.

After a brace of other batches destined for the US and travel retail, the legendary tun has been back in action with Batch 5 arriving on these shores shortly. The bigger batch size represents the popularity of this whisky (2862 bottles) and this time around the marriage has been bought together from nine casks: four sherry butts and five American oak hoggies. The youngest whisky in this batch is apparently 21 years old and the oldest from 1966, with the majority of the sherried whisky coming from the 1970s. 

Later this year, David Stewart celebrates his 50th year in the business and will become, by far and away, the longest serving whisky maker in Scotland. It is to his credit that this whisky has seen the light of day and one wonders just how many more batches we will see with the Stewart stamp of approval on them -  with any luck, he's not about to pass the marrying tun on to anyone else!  

The Balvenie - Tun 1401 - Batch 5 - 50.1% - 2862 bottles - RRP £161

Nose: Cocoa powder, dried ginger, musty mossy notes, combined with woody spice and some rich dark honey all nestle against some sweeter vanilla notes, coconut, some lighter citrus (blood orange) and dried apricot.  A dash of water really opens this up and gives it more vibrancy with the rich sherry notes melting into the background and the vanilla, chocolate and citrus occupying the pound seats. 

Palate: Waxy Manuka honey, some rich dark chocolate, black cherries and some heavier sherried notes all hit first, with devastating effect. There is so much going on here, it virtually bludgeons the palate - but being vaguely masochistic, your tongue is left wanting more, which it delivers with a deft left hook of vanilla sweetness, some of the lighter citrus and more woody spices. Bang Bang. 

Finish: Lingering notes of cocoa, wax and rich honey.  All the signature character you could hope for.  

Overall: This is unquestionably a superb piece of whisky making and sits right alongside Batch 2 for its solid display of marrying together both dominant sherried whiskies and lighter bourbon-influenced whiskies.  If you're looking for something extra special which will act as the 'dah dah' moment in your whisky cabinet then Tun 1401 Batch 5 is an excellent choice. For those who can't stump up the £161,  grab yourself a bottle of The Balvenie's Doublewood, which shares the classic formula of bourbon and sherry, for a fraction of the cost. 

Adventureland: The Balvenie Tun 1401 Batch 3

"I wish this was my record collection"

Aside from football, the first real hobby I remember getting in to was record collecting. The first ever 7” I bought, an early version of Supergrass’ Mansize Rooster on Backbeat Records, mesmerised me. Green vinyl in a psychedelic disco bag, the record appeared so beautiful, like a piece of artwork, that it kick-started a hobby which has lasted through to the present day.

The temptation when collecting records is to become a ‘completist’, seeking out every single release by a certain artist, from their first single on a local indie label through to their latest major label affair, all the while trying to find that allusive Japanese 7” with the spelling mistake in the label copy.

I remember one occasion when the debut album from Supergrass, I Should Coco, was released. A certain number of the 12” editions came with a very limited edition 7”. Having fallen in love with my local heroes from the debut release mentioned above and being well on the road to owning their entire output (even the scarce singles on Nude Records, under the name The Jennifers), I wanted one, nay, MUST HAVE one of these limited editions.

Being only young and without gainful part-time employment, I took to washing cars in the local area to raise the funds needed to buy the album. When the Monday of release came around, I was to be found in the queue outside Oxford’s Virgin Megastore (RIP) beaming with pride at the record I was about to purchase.

My attitude towards rarities such as this has changed little over the years, yet now my focus is on a different product, whisky. As I search avidly for interesting and unusual bottles, I have ended up in early-morning queues outside many different distilleries and shops (from what now seems like an annual queue at a rain soaked Lagavulin during Feis Ile, to a cold December morning outside Aldi) all in search of 'that' elusive bottle to crack open and try.

Of course, writing this site as well as penning articles for various publications, we are often sent samples of whisky or invited on distillery trips and to launch events, some of which we review on this site (Serge at whiskyfun.com has written a great piece on receiving and reviewing samples, which you can read here, a view to which we wholeheartedly subscribe) and in the greater scheme of what is approaching our fifth year of writing caskstrength.net, this is a relatively new development. Despite this however, the excitement of seeking out that rare bottle of whisky, being able to taste it and share the liquid inside with friends is still a real joy (see ‘Best Man’s Lagavulin’). No different really to sitting down with your buddies and enjoying the previously unheard b-sides on your favourite bands 300- only debut 7” over a couple of beers.

However, buying whisky is not a cheap pastime and like a good holiday, each spend is carefully considered. The latest whisky adventure I have taken my wallet on, is a hunt for The Balvenie Tun 1401 Batch 3. The first releases, Batch 1, was only available for those doing the distillery tour in Speyside and when I found myself in Dufftown at the start of 2011 I was eager to participate in their show-around. Firstly, I’d never had a complete tour of The Balvenie before and secondly it enabled me to purchase a bottle of Tun 1401 Batch 1 from their shop at the end, having tried a sample at the 2010 Whisky Show in London. Not a cheap exercise, made even more expensive by the purchase of a bottle of Balvenie Rose Batch 2 at the same time (my sincere apologies goes out to HSBC Bank), notes of which were quickly written up.

Batch 2 was a slightly different affair. Widely distributed in the UK, finding a bottle at a retailer which wasn’t sold out on pre-order was tricky. I was lucky enough to secure a bottle from Milroy’s Of Soho after a tip off from a friend that they had some in stock. I was keen to get a bottle as I already knew about the quality of the liquid having tasted some at the distillery on a previous visit as well as at a ‘twitter tasting’ with other whisky writers, bloggers and retailers late last year.

It was during this tasting that I heard whispers of a Batch 3 release. With my appetite whetted from Batch 1 and Batch 2, this was not a bottle I was going to let slip off my radar, and so the hunt began...

In my research, I found out that Batch 3 was to be a US-only release. “This must be a simple job”, I thought. “Loads of retailers in the US will stock this. One must be able to ship a bottle to the UK.”

Wrong.

Only 1800 bottles of this edition was spread thinly across the 50 states. I found a couple of retailers selling bottles, with prices ranging wildly from $350 (Park Av Liquor) to $209 (Merwins), but none, not one of these retailers would ship to the UK.

Booo.

It was at this stage I resorted to ‘plan b’: emailing a list of friends in the US who might be able to make the purchase for me, receive the package and then forward on to the UK. My first attempt, a friend visiting NYC over Christmas, failed when they were unable to visit any retailer open during the holiday period.

Negative.

But the second avenue yielded success! A good friend living on the Eastern side of the States was able to receive a bottle and subsequently forward it on to me. International trade, it seems, is alive and well... if you know someone who lives in the country of release, that is!

Whoop!

The Balvenie – Tun 1401 – Batch 3 – 50.3% abv

A vatting of 7 bourbon casks and 3 sherry casks ranging from 1967 to 1989

Nose: Strong character of digestive biscuits dipped in sherry, some freshly cut red apples, a hint of cherry juice and watermelon and the classic Balvenie runny honey.

Palate: Perfectly drinkable at its bottled strength, this is certainly a Balvenie given away by a mouthwatering honey tone. This edition carried blackberry leaf and lots of great wood spices which, over time in the mouth, develop from a sweet, nutty note to woodier, drying tones with a hint of liquorice.

Finish: Dry with a big spicy hit, yet this mellows over time in the glass but is certainly warming. More of a winter dram, than a summer dram.

Overall: This expression seems to carry more dry oak tones and comes across woodier and spicier than batch 2 and batch 1. Given a choice of recent releases, I’d aim for the Craftsman’s Reserve Number 1: The Cooper over this, but certainly these editions are an exercise in how one distillery can produce differing characteristics in their finished products using a variety of casks from various years.

It’s been a pretty arduous adventure securing this bottle and it has been interesting to round off the list of Tun 1401s so far. Let’s hope the series doesn't go on too long, as it could lead me on a wild goose chase. Especially when batch 7 comes out, exclusively available in Hogwarts. For time being however, we’ll try and keep the search going, the tasting notes logged and the whisky shared...

I’m off to dig out my old Supergrass 7”’s for an extended listening session, while sipping on a large dram of the Tun 1401 batch 2. For research purposes, you understand? I Should Coco!

Let's Go Clubbing: The Balvenie Craftsman's Reserve No. 1 Whisky : The Cooper

It’s not a lot different to most peoples’ houses... if you ever come over to my abode, you’ll learn a lot about me from the objects that fill the space in which I live. Of course, there is plenty of whisky and whisky related artefacts scattered around, but that’s not all. Strewn around the house are clues to other interests and hobbies of mine; a framed ticket for the 2009 / 2010 Conference Play Off Final at Wembley between (the mighty) Oxford United and York City for example or a few books about street art, piled high on my coffee table.

However if you look closely, you can see keys to my childhood, too: A whole row of Rold Dahl books on my bookshelf. A 1980’s Subbuteo team still in full packaging on my mantelpiece, nestled up next to a well-used Rubik’s Cube... but the most telling evidence lies in a room far from these effects. For in my toilet is an almost complete set of Beano Annuals from around the late 1970’s through to the present day.

The Beano was a comic that my two brothers and I had delivered on weekly basis throughout our childhood and the yearly bumper hardback offering was a standard Christmas present from ‘Santa Claus’ pretty much from birth. It still makes an appearance each Christmas, keeping a family tradition going (and probably underpinning the publishers D.C. Thomson & Co as we do so, before it gets nailed by kids playing Angry Birds on their iPads).

Such fans we were of characters such as Billy Whizz, The Bash Street Kids and Dennis The Menace himself, that it seemed only natural to join The Dennis The Menace Fan Club (later rebranded as The Beano Fan Club). And what an honour that was. When joining, members would receive a pack containing a membership card, a letter and some badges (one adorned with the words ‘He Who Meanaces Wins’ – amazing!). Some years, you’d even get a birthday card from Dennis and Gnasher... does life get any better, when you’re ten years old?!

Sadly, in 2010 D.C. Thomson, the publishers of The Beano, closed its doors to new members. Having had, at its peak, over 1.25 million members, the club moved online to embrace new media in engaging fans of the much-loved comic.

I’m not ten years old any longer. I’m 32. Quite a difference. And, where you once found the Beano Annual by my bed, you’ll now find it by my toilet (essential reading when on the throne, it must be said) but one thing is still true: I still join fan clubs. It’s just the fan clubs I join these days are whisky-related.

There are plenty of them around: Friends of Laphroaig, Friends of the Classic Malts, The Ardbeg Committee, Highland Park Inner Circle, The Guardians of The Glenlivet, The Glenfiddich Explorers, The Springbank Society, The Bowmore Inner Core... you get the picture.

Nearly all of these ‘clubs’ are free to join and just require an email address and date of brith, but the rewards can be rich. Once signed up, you’re often sent a members pack (much like the Dennis The Menace fan club, sans a furry Gnasher badge) with anything from a short ‘thank you’ to a tasting book to a certificate of ownership on a plot of land! But the real pay off comes with the offer of exclusive bottlings, tasty editions launched only for club members, the die-hards, the fanatics.

The latest distillery to engage their membership scheme in this way is The Balvenie. Their membership programme is called Warehouse 24, named after the oldest surviving part of the distillery, now known as warehouse no. 24. (NSS)

The first ever exclusive bottling to be released to the membership from The Balvenie comes in support of one the five rare crafts which the distillery still employs, The Cooper. Such is the focus by The Balvenie on their five rare crafts, I wouldn’t be surprised to see this as a series with one release for each of the five crafts. To be fair, the title kinda gives that impression too, with it being called Craftsman’s Rreserve No.1...

So, a little about this bottling, then: 515 bottles will be produced, with 315 being made available for the UK market. Aged for 15 Years, this whisky was matured in two sherry butts and is bottled at natural strength. It will retail via The Balvenie website at £65.00 a bottle but expect to see if for more on auction sites at a later date... *yawn* Expected release date is some time in Feb.

The Balvenie – Craftsman’s Reserve No.1: The Cooper – 15 Years Old – 515 Bottles Only – Exclusive to Warehouse 24 Members - 59.4% abv

Nose: Rich Maple syrup, builders tea with sugar, honey and dark chocolate (a kin to the smell you get when snapping a Cadbury’s Crunchie in half), strong runny honey. A very appetising nose, with plenty of body. Asserts itself as a Speyside whisky but with more balls, more kick than normal from this distillery.

Palate: A ‘chewy’ dram with notes of sweet tea, dried apricots, big malt hit. It comes across as very rich with orange tones developing over time. Some notes of wood chippings after rain, heavy toffee and pulled pork. Meaty and mouthfilling. Holds a drop of water well.

Finish: Melting dark chocolate, some cloves and orange tones. Big and powerful in flavour and finish.

Overall: This is not a shy and retiring dram. Imagine the Doublewood but with extra age and intensity and richness and obstinance. It’s like a Balvenie that has won the lottery; it’s better than you and it knows it and it doesn’t care what you think, it’s going to wear garish designer clothing and to hell with the world. Bold and rich, more expressions like this (and at this strength) please...

No doubt there will be a bun flight on the day of release for this and if William Grant and Sons have taken a lesson from any of the other clubs that have released bottles online, just make sure your website doesn’t crash the second it goes up for sale... and if you really want to add some value to your distillery fan club, include a nice badge that says “He Who Drams Wins”.

Right, I’m off to ‘read the Beano’ as we say in my house...

The Twelve Drams Of Christmas - Part Ten

Today's dram comes from the prescriber of all things good. A man who quite possibly purchased his doctor-ship in whisky from a drunken gentleman in Uganda, but we'll forgive him, as his musings for the past few years have kept us highly entertained and informed. Sam is also Global Brand Ambassador for The Balvenie, but don't let that sway your opinion on his choice below...

Ladies and gentleman, we give you Sam Simmons, aka Dr Whisky.

Sexy....

'I love whisky. And I love Christmas.

And my Christmas whisky is the same as it has been since 2002:

The Balvenie Doublewood.

(Long before I worked with William Grant & Sons!)

Do with this as you will'

The Balvenie - Doublewood - 12 yo - 40%

Nose: An entertaining mix of lighter, vanilla, lemon & orange zest and sweet caramels, mixed with some richer Oloroso sherry notes, dark honey and woody spices.

Palate: The vanilla, honey and orange zest all hit the palate first, backdropped by moist raisins, some fig and a big spoonful of the Oloroso. Very open and balanced.

Finish: Drying cask notes, with a long fruity/nutty note. Warming and most definitely festive!

A Venerable 'Venie

This Wednesday, the burst of pre-Christmas whisky releases got a whole lot more interesting, with the launch of The Balvenie Forty, held at London's V+A Museum in Kensington.

The venue had been chosen rather poignantly, in that its current star attraction, 'The Power Of Making' is an eclectic collection of exhibits from incredibly talented craftsmen and women around the world. The Balvenie have of late highlighted the link between classic crafts and the craftsmanship of their own whisky, by developing the Masters Of Craft Awards; celebrating craftspeople as diverse as violin makers, glassblowers and shoemakers. And with the addition of the British Craft Council's 40th Anniversary, the night was one big mashup of serious hand-crafted talent.

The Balvenie's Dr Andrew Forrester led the assembled guests through a nosing and tasting of the brand new whisky, which is put together using the process of what he described as 'micro-vatting'. The Balvenie Forty brings together a proportion of 6 different casks; 3 sherry butts and 3 refill hogsheads, which is, (like the Tun 1401) married for a short time in one of the distillery's vats. The whisky is presented in a hand-crafted wooden box, built by Scottish craftsman Sam Chinnery. Each bottle is also engraved by Sam's father.

As we like to bang on about, it is of course the liquid inside that counts, but the whole package does look pretty exquisite.

So with a dram in hand, we venture into the craftsmanship of Malt Master David Stewart...

The Balvenie - Forty - Batch 2 - 48.5% - 150 bottles

Nose: Immediate notes of victoria sponge cake, followed by dried cherries, coconut and floral wax. It is quite light and open for a 40yo whisky, with toffee apple notes developing as the dram develops.

Palate: Big hit of vanilla fudge, malted milk biscuits, some more perfumed notes (nectarine and peach) soft fruit crumble and prominent bourbon notes. Given time, a distinctly dark rich honey flavour develops, alongside tart fresh lemon juice and cherry sherbet.

Finish: Surprisingly dry, with some lingering spiced fruit notes and more cherry.

Overall: Unmistakably The Balvenie, this dram adds to the vast range of cracking whiskies expertly bought to life by David Stewart and his team. Whilst at a push, we would say the recent Tun 1401 release tips the scales in terms of excellence, this isn't far behind. At £2,500, it isn't a cheap whisky, but then again, when did you last see a cheap Stradivarius, Purdey shotgun or pair of John Lobb shoes?