Edradour Ballechin 2011 Cask #328

An official release of Ballechin, a 10 year old, from 2011, cask 328, at 59%, 313 bottles in all. Ballechin is the heavily peated single malt from Edradour, the tiny farm distillery at Pitlochry. It was founded in 1825, growing out of an old farmers' cooperative in the glen above Pitlochry.

It was drawn off the tiny stills and cooled in worm tubs, smoke over an oily spirit, the worm tubs lending weight to the smoke. 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. Long ageing turns the rich make towards dried fruit, fig and a soft spice. A small distillery and a hands on approach shape every cask by hand.

At a hearty 59% it carries real weight. A smoky, oily sweetness, with a soft vanilla from the oak. It is rich and smoky, the oily spirit shining through. The close is oily and smoky, fruit over a tarry oak. This is a rich, smoky Highland single malt.