This is the ultimate PortWood expression from Balvenie and has been finished in 30 year old port pipes. A more vibrant and textured Travel Retail variant is non-chill filtered and bottled at 47.6%. Soft, red grape notes, vanilla, and milk chocolate on the nutty nose. Very discreet smoke. Rich plum flavors in the mouth, dark berries covered in cream, and spicy honey. The finish is long and elegantly drying.

Reviewed by: Gavin Smith (Spring 2017)

So soon? This latest release of what is becoming a legendary series mixes nine casks—four butts, five hoggies—from between 1966 and 1990. Hugely complex and obviously mature, it is one to sit and smell forever. Marzipan, mocha, pain au chocolat, manuka honey; every sniff reveals another aroma. It opens into cigar, sandalwood, citrus, and ripe black fruits. The palate is equally layered and expansive. It takes water, but only a drop, for that density is all-important.

Reviewed by: Dave Broom (Winter 2012)

This limited edition bottling celebrates the 25th anniversary of the DoubleWood releases. DoubleWood malts are initially matured in bourbon casks before a second period in European oak sherry casks. Classic Balvenie honey, orchard fruits, toffee, and oak on the nose. The palate is voluptuous, with orange, honey, ginger, and milk chocolate. Spicy sherry in the rich, long finish. (3,600 bottles)

Reviewed by: Gavin Smith (Winter 2018)

This 18 year old single malt is stylistically very different from the older releases in Chapter 4. The nose is soft, with honey and mashed banana. Ginger and crème brûlée notes in time. Medium-bodied, the creamy palate follows the nose closely, introducing vanilla custard, coconut, and chopped almonds. The finish dries slightly, with a hint of chili heat. £800

Reviewed by: Gavin Smith (Spring 2019)

The sixth batch in this highly regarded series comprises whisky aged in five refill sherry butts, seven DoubleWood refill sherry butts, and nine bourbon barrels. The nose is soft and inviting, with honey, pineapple, vanilla, caramel, and ginger. The palate is rounded, rich, and sweet, with honey, vanilla, apples, and pears. Tangy citrus fruit, star anise, and oak in the lengthy finish.

Reviewed by: Gavin Smith (Spring 2020)

This latest installment of the Tun 1401 series is a classic expression of old, mature Balvenie, where a waxiness akin to furniture polish slides into mead-like aromas; actually more like metheglin, as there’s an herbal, spiced element. Its textural richness means it is best with water on the side, allowing deep earthy, licorice, and cigar ash tones to develop, along with just the lightest squeeze of tannin. (U.S. only.)

Reviewed by: Dave Broom (Winter 2013)

A special Balvenie to honor Master Distiller David Stewart’s 30 years working at the distillery. This is a big and brooding dram. The aroma suggests it is aged in both bourbon and sherry oak. It’s complex and richly flavored (sweeter up front and increasingly dry towards its finish), with notes of honey, candied fruit, thick cut marmalade, vanilla, almonds, and prominent spicy oak notes. I’m picking up plenty of sherry in this new expression, which I like. It finishes firmly dry, with notes of spice and tannin. While I enjoy this whisky a great deal, you might want to seek out the Balvenie 25 year old (which I rated a 93) while the odd bottle is still available. It is slightly more rounded on the palate, and less than half the cost.

Reviewed by: John Hansell (Summer 2005)

A harmonious marriage of fruit and spice. More balanced than last year’s sweet Rum Cask release. In fact, this is one of the most deftly-balanced whiskies I’ve tasted this year. Bramble, ripe nectarine, caramel apple, honeyed vanilla, and golden raisin, spiced with cinnamon and nutmeg. Soft (for Balvenie), lingering, warm, dried spice finish.

Reviewed by: John Hansell (Fall 2009)

A refill American oak hogshead matured this whisky. The nose offers malt, vanilla fudge, pineapple, and contrasting lemon. Lively tropical fruits on the palate, almonds, walnuts, and ginger cookies, with ever-present oak. Bitter coffee in the medium-length, leathery finish.

Reviewed by: Gavin Smith (Spring 2018)

The oldest of the set shows a shift into a sense of calm and quietude. The dried blossoms of youth are there, still with a little color to them, while a curl of smoke also comes through. Then, out of nowhere, a sudden eruption of tropical fruits, a flaring in the dying light. There’s no oakiness, just a distillery, framed, gently receding. A remarkable dram. It’s almost shameful to discuss cost! £19,000

Reviewed by: Dave Broom (Spring 2016)

A new addition to the permanent Balvenie range. Lovely bright gold color. Layers of sweetness (the characteristic Balvenie honey, along with vanilla fudge, nougat, and rich toffee) peppered with dried spice and a hint of tropical fruit (papaya, guava, tangerine). Nice viscosity with good grip on the finish. I really like the balance and complexity of this whisky. A very solid effort and the price is right.

Reviewed by: John Hansell (Winter 2010)

This expression dates from 2002, when Balvenie first produced a batch of heavily peated malt. Matured in American oak casks, the nose exhibits subtle peat balanced by honey, vanilla, and ripe red apples. On the palate, the soft smoke is well integrated with vanilla, more honey, ginger, and overripe pears. Ashy peat, citrus fruits, cinnamon, and tangy oak in the finish. An elegant peated whisky.

Reviewed by: Gavin Smith (Winter 2017)

This was aged in new American oak and selected for its faint smokiness, believed to have been picked up from a previous peated spirit run. Pears, white pepper, and faint cigarette smoke on the nose. Full-bodied, with lots of tropical fruit, vanilla, honey, and a slightly antiseptic note. Long and peppery in the finish, with more medicinal flavor. £500

Reviewed by: Gavin Smith (Spring 2019)

This ever-popular expression of Balvenie is matured for roughly 12 years in ex-bourbon casks and finished for 9 months in Spanish oak oloroso sherry casks. Floral on the nose, with honey, oak, and almonds. Spicy sherry, nutmeg, and dried fruit on the silky palate. Quite long in the finish, with a hint of orange, plus drying spices. Elegant, yet robust.

Reviewed by: Gavin Smith (Fall 2018)

Made from the same recipe as previous Peat Week bottlings, with the name referring to the one week per year Balvenie distills peated whisky. Stone fruits lightly smoked in a peat kiln on the early nose, new leather, and honey. Sweet peat smoke, orchard fruits, and soft spices on the palate. The fruits darken in the finish, with licorice and spicy oak. (18,000 bottles)

Reviewed by: Gavin Smith (Fall 2019)

The Balvenie continues its limited edition releases of 17 year old whiskies. Previous editions included an Islay Cask finish and a New Oak finish. This is the newest one, aged in sherry oak casks. It’s a delicious whisky, with clean, ripe, sherried fruit marrying nicely with the dry oak spices. Notes of apple pie, honeyed summer fruit, caramel toasted almonds, and toffee, with dry resinous oak on the finish to round out the sweetness. A big, full-bodied Balvenie that satisfies.

Reviewed by: John Hansell (Spring 2008)

The darkness of the hue of this, the second official release of a 40 year old from Balvenie, gives an indication of how intense the relationship between cask and spirit has been over its long sequestration. It emerges brimming with dense aromas such as tamarind paste, treacle, and Black Forest gateau. Amazingly, on the palate there’s a lift of vanilla-like sweetness before the heavier and drier elements close down on the finish. Incredibly limited; only 150 bottles produced. £2,500

Reviewed by: Dave Broom (Spring 2012)

Light gold, with good intensity and a more noticeable malty note than is common with this distillery, as well as touches of daffodil and dried honeycomb. The wood influence appears minimal to start with, but more vanilla creeps through in time; water brings out almond milk. Opens into clementine peel, pomelo, then cooked dessert apple. The palate is clean and forward; even slightly hot when neat. Remarkably assertive for a 25 year old.

Reviewed by: Dave Broom (Spring 2015)