Ballechin 10 Year Old 2010 Signatory for McShelfie

The Belgian whisky club of the year 2020, McShelfie, bottled – together with a whole range of colleagues including The Bonding Dram who provided me with the sample – this 10 years old Ballechin that matured on a sherry cask. That brought back some good memories – the last sherry matured Ballechin that I had was the best so far. So I immediately ordered a bottle, even before tasting it. In the mean time my bottle has arrived, no worries there. And indeed, it’s another one of those great peated malts from the Edradour distillery.

Smoked ham with black pepper, chewing tobacco, roast beef, cloves, star anise, rosemary and dill. Ka-boom! A bit of an umami bomb on the nose with just a few raisins and a drop of plum liqueur to give the whole a semblance of sweetness. ‘New handbag’ says Dearly Beloved. I wouldn’t know, but believe her. Anyway, this is de-li-cious!

Oily is the least you can say. You can almost chew this malt. Very powerful, warming and piquant. A beef steak with soy sauce. Get me some cutlery! This is a meal. Umami with a sweet touch. Harmonious as a whole. Dark and sweet gravy with a raisin on top. Will someone please throw another log on the fire? This makes me very happy.

The finish makes me sigh in contentment. Long, dark, sweet, smoky and drying. I’m ready for coffee and dessert.

Are you familiar with my #happydance? No? Get a taste of this and you’ll find out for yourself. Ordered me two more bottles, for the lockdown has just been prolonged with another six weeks; they will come in handy.

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