Edradour Ballechin 2011 Cask #323

An official release of Ballechin, a 10 year old, from 2011, cask 323, at 57.4%, 288 bottles in all. Ballechin is the heavily peated single malt from Edradour, the tiny farm distillery at Pitlochry. Its water comes from the Ben Vrackie springs in the hills above the distillery.

The spirit was drawn off the tiny stills and cooled in worm tubs, smoke over an oily spirit, the worm tubs lending weight to the smoke. First fill bourbon gave a fuller vanilla and a touch of coconut from the lactones. Integration folds eugenol (clove) and vanillin (vanilla) into the smoky malt, the body fuller and oilier. The cool Highland air of the glen gives a slow, even maturation in the small Edradour warehouses. The worm tubs leave an oily weight that carries through the years in cask. Under Signatory the range has grown to a wide run of sherry and wine cask bottlings.

At its natural 57.4% it is rich and full bodied. Peat smoke, fig and a soft chocolate, with a soft vanilla from the oak. Beneath the smoke run dried fruit, chocolate and a soft oil. A rich finish ends on soft ash and dried fruit. This is Ballechin's heavily peated, oily style.