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Balvenie 10 Year Old Founder's Reserve

Superbly balanced

0 689

@WTCReview by @WTC

19th Nov 2011

0

Balvenie 10 Year Old Founder's Reserve
  • Nose
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  • Taste
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  • Finish
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  • Balance
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  • Overall
    89

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So we have recently done a Balvenie tasting pack of five different expressions. thought we would post our notes here.

The Founder’s Reserve is first up. This was introduced as one of the standard Balvenie expressions in the eighties but was recently replaced by the Signature 12 year old. It is a combination of bourbon and sherry cask matured whisky.

Nose: Initially a faint hint of tea. Tangerines and oranges. Dried fruit peel. Liquorice sticks. Light oak. Taste: Lightly sherried. Soft, rounded. Spiced oranges and cream. The oak adds a little spice but isn't allowed to dominate. Superbly balanced.

We were very impressed with this and on average slightly preferred it to the doublewood and signature. We fortuitously came by some bottles (hence this tasting) and are on the look out for some more! It is fetching around £40 per bottle on ebay

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6 comments

@Victor
Victor commented

Lovely malt! It is a crime they have killed it off!

12 years ago 0

@WTC
WTC commented

I agree, I'd love to know the reason for killing it off.

12 years ago 0

@Victor
Victor commented

Your review inspired me to do some calling around. I was quite surprised and very pleased to have been able to have purchased three more bottles of the Balvenie Founders Reserve 10 yo today. It seems unlikely that we shall be given an explanation by the company for the reasons why this very fine malt was discontinued. Most likely the Founders Reserve was, as Jim Murray suggests in his 2011 and 2012 Jim Murray Whisky Bible Balvenie Doublewood 12 yo review, "sacrificed on the altar of ageism."

12 years ago 0

T
TexasPeat commented

I just found another bottle of this at a mom and pop store here in Dallas. $42. Great find!

12 years ago 0

@WTC
WTC commented

that is a great find, goes for £70-£100 on auction sites over here now, its become collectable

12 years ago 0

@FMichael
FMichael commented

Not more than 2 years ago I picked up 3 bottles at the price of $30 each (was a closeout sale)...This was my 1st single malt that I enjoyed several years ago that got me into scotch whisky...The 12 yr Signature is the successor - however I'm not sure if the 12 yr Signature is any "better" than the fine 10 yr Founders Reserve; I agree with many that Balvenie should bring the Founders Reserve back.

12 years ago 0