Capturing Memories with Flavour: Ballantine’s Finest Review
What I enjoy most in collecting and tasting whisky are the memories you build along the way. There is nothing quite like the visceral memory associated with smell and taste.
Even if you haven’t experienced this with whisky, you know what I’m talking about. You’ve surely had a moment where a familiar smell has taken you back to a particular time in your life. You remember who you were with that day, how you were feeling, what the weather was like… You could probably even describe in detail the interior of the room you were in.
All that it takes is a whiff of that familiar smell and you immediately get transported through time and space right to that very moment.
I recently had an experience like this with the whisky I am going to be sharing with you today.
A couple of weeks ago, I took a trip to my home town for a family project that I’d been meaning to do for a while. The plan was to sit down and have a series of recorded conversations with my grandad. We’d go over the family tree and he’d tell me stories of his life and how these shaped him into the person he is today.
Though it was a tiring week, having to juggle my nine-to-five responsibilities, a number of social engagements, as well as my family project, it was an extremely fulfilling experience. I got to spend precious hours getting to know more about a man whom I admire and who has had a great influence on my outlook on life.
In my grandad’s living room, there is a Ballantine’s tray with a few tumblers which he picked up during his many travels throughout his working career. For as long as I can remember, that tray has been there, in the same dark mahogany cabinet.
As a result, the Ballantine’s logo has become somewhat of a familiar sight for me. Wherever I have seen it, it always brought a faint association of my grandad’s living room.
It just so happens, that during the same week when I was at home, I came across a bottle of Ballantine’s Finest and I got a chance to spend some time tasting it. While this dram is not going to win any fancy whisky awards, it has acquired a certain significance for me. So I thought I’d present it here for you.
The Ballantine’s brand goes back to the early 19th century and George Ballantine’s shop in Edinburgh. Among other articles in his shop, George would also offer various whiskies to his clientele. Later on, his son Archibald took over the shop and started making proprietary Ballentine’s blends.
As the business developed, Ballentine’s started exporting their Scotch Whisky across the world.
Today, the brand is part of the portfolio of big international conglomerate Pernod Ricard.
Ballentine’s core range consists of a number of expressions, of which Ballentine’s Finest is the most readily available.
Tasting Notes:
Nose:
Right from the start, this whisky greets you with a fresh, light malty note, followed by a spirit punch, indicative of the young age of the distillate. There is a sour note (I associate it with lemons), which contributes to the overall freshness of the nose. Another prominent note is ash. My association is almost with an ashtray, which may not seem that appealing if you are not used to smoke in whisky. When spending some time with it, faint vanilla comes through.
With water, the ash becomes more prominent but evolves a little bit. Hints of peat smoke develop. A sweet barley sugar note develops.
Taste:
The taste is straightforward: sweet and sour. I detected green apples, oak spice, and slight honey. More sweetness comes through on the back of the palate- a burnt sugar note appears.
With water: a distant association with salt water/brine, and a hint of coffee.
Finish:
A short, thin finish which disappears quite quickly. At first, you get ash, an oaky-peppery note and a dryness in the finish. After a short while, only the oak remains.
Conclusion and Mark:
A well-put-together blend that combines all the comprising whiskies into a decent dram. I expected less complexity from a standard 40% ABV blended scotch, designed for the mass market. The whiskies involved in the blend are well-balanced, however, the finish leaves much to be desired.
Mark: 68/100
Final thoughts:
This is a competent blend, which was obviously designed to be enjoyed in cocktails or “on the rocks”. One would rarely be ordering this “neat” at the bar. It’s just not that type of whisky.
Yet, on this occasion a neat pour of Ballantine’s Finest was a wonderful compliment to the nostalgic week I spent with my grandad.
From now on, whenever I look at a bottle of Ballantine’s and have a taste of it, I will remember my grandad and the conversations we had about a life well lived.
