Edradour Ballechin 2010 Cask #331

An official release of Ballechin, a 10 year old, from 2010, cask 331, at 55%, 293 bottles in all. Ballechin is the smoky side of Edradour, a heavily peated malt from Pitlochry. It was bought in 2002 by Andrew Symington of the independent bottler Signatory Vintage.

It was distilled slowly from peated malt in the old farm stillhouse, for a heavy, smoky spirit with an oily depth. An ex-Bourbon barrel shaped it, vanillin lending vanilla under the fruit. Through integration spirit and wood marry, vanillin settling into vanilla as the peat smoke softens to a mellow, oily reek. Years in oak round the spirit, the dried fruit and chocolate deepening over the oily core. Its water comes from the Ben Vrackie springs in the hills above the distillery. The cool Highland air of the glen gives a slow, even maturation in the small Edradour warehouses.

At its natural 55% it is rich and full bodied. Peat smoke, fig and a soft chocolate, with a soft vanilla from the oak. Peat, fig and a creamy malt fill the middle. A long, smoky finish carries dried fruit and a soft ash. This is a rich, smoky malt from one of Scotland's smallest distilleries.