Edradour Ballechin 2010 Cask #354

A 10 year old Ballechin, a distillery bottling, from 2010, cask 354, at 58.2%, 319 bottles in all. Ballechin is a peated Highland single malt from Edradour, owned by Signatory Vintage. Ballechin was first distilled in 2003, the malt peated to around fifty parts per million.

Made from malt peated to around fifty parts per million in the tiny stills, building the rich, peated Ballechin style. Ex-Bourbon casks held it, the gentle American oak letting the oily make lead. Through integration spirit and wood marry, vanillin settling into vanilla as the peat smoke softens to a mellow, oily reek. Vanillin and oak lactones from the wood lend vanilla and coconut over the fruit. Signatory's wide cask range gives the small distillery an unusual variety of finishes. It once supplied blends such as House of Lords and King's Ransom. It was bought in 2002 by Andrew Symington of the independent bottler Signatory Vintage.

Bottled at a cask strength 58.2%, it is rich. A smoky, fruity richness, with a soft vanilla from the oak. Peat, fig and a creamy malt fill the middle. Peat smoke, dried fruit and a soft oak see out a long finish. This is Ballechin's heavily peated, oily style.