Friday, 6 October 2023

Ballechin 19 2023 Manzanilla Sherry Casks, WB: 237370

In comparison to WB123517 Ballechin 14 2018 Mazanilla.

Woohoo, Ballechin 19, eldest. The 14 blows me away after been halfway through the bottle, has concentrated into a syrupy mass, the peat gives the Scotch a brilliant complexity. And now I'm hoping for - more? A stranger is just a friend you ain't met yet. What have I got to lose - money? What have you got to lose that you ain't already lost?

Nose 2h: In direct comparison to the B14: more warmth, cellar mustiness, not so fresh. Peat doesn't slaughter you. Very distinguished, sweet-umami spice cloud, cinnamon, Christmas spices, balsamic, grade A maple syrup, fir honey. After 3h dried porcini mushrooms.

Mouth 2.30h: B14 is a burner, bangs in. The V just made me more... me. Eternally long finish of the B14. Bad idea to compare both A-train vs Shockwave. Checking B19: date syrup with chili flakes, some dark chocolate, oily, brown sugar with cinnamon and nutmeg, 

Finish: oak on the finish. While B14 remains hot, B19 goes in the tannic direction. Astringent. Long but restrained compared to B14. Bay leaf. Espresso.

B14 is young and tumultuous. Ballechin 19 is more settled and knows things.

Expecting a happy ending, were we? Well, I'm sorry. It ain't that kind of massage parlor. - Billy Butcher.

93/100