ralfy review 684 - Ballechin 10yo @ 46%vol

[@christophershreiner5114]

This really surprised me at how enjoyable and unique it was. I’m only less than 1 year into my scotch journey. My wife did the first taste with me. The nose didn’t really prepare me for what my palette experienced. We picked up on the peat and smoke obviously. It has a nice agricole and slight funk. She picked right up on summer sausage and smoked cheese. For me, the smoke was almost immediately overcome by a rich, slightly sour fruitiness, like candied oranges. I added a few drops of water and the nose reminded me of bacon. The taste was creamier but obviously the viscosity was slightly reduced. For me, this is a definite keeper. For her, she’ll pass. She doesn’t prefer smokey whisky but it was great of her to share with me!

[@alfonsomartinez6659]

Sour? yeasty? Actually sounds great to me! Lol I enjoy sour beers and lots of fermented foods like kimchi and sauerkraut. Cheers Ralfy! You’ve been a great help introducing me to single malts!

[@AndyCigars]

Had this whisky sitting in my cabinet and could not quite get my head around it. Never occurred to me to *not* add any water. It really does make this dram better to have neat or with 1-2 drops of water. Less is more. Thank you, senpai Ralfy!

[@iancameron6963]

A friend gave me a taste of Ballechin 10 and that led me to buy the Ballechin 11 Manzanilla. Now that added the bit of sweetness it needed, and I recommend it to you.

[@TheReal_DeanD]

Hmm I found a Ballechin Bourbon Barrel 11 year old Cask Strength. I hope it is sweet like the one you were led to.

[@jonswift8288]

For all those who comment "first"......You are suffering from PREMATURE EVALUATION!

[@Deliquescentinsight]

I like it Jon :)

[@alexk3088]

They are also the first with nothing to say :)

[@patrickmccarthy5208]

Great review as usual. Pleasure meeting you in Edinburgh today. Wish I could have stayed longer. Could have been very interesting!

[@thewhiskybothy]

. . . busy times on the annual grand tour of central Scotland ! good to meet you.

[@foodquig]

I have never found Ballechin on local shelves, but I have had a taste of it at a whisky festival nearly three years ago, now... If this 10 year old Ballechin is anything like Ledaig 10, I need to find some!

[@robfut9954]

Still years later never seen this in stores.

[@ΒΑΣΙΛΕΙΟΣΚΟΝΤΟΠΙΔΗΣ]

I think that Ballechin 10 years old is one of the best peated malts. I would like that you rereview it. You gave 83 to Ballechin 10 years old and you gave 85 to queen margot (blended) 3 years old from lidl.

[@distlledbrewedreviewed]

Thanks for the intro Ralfy.

[@jabbathebum]

Bought a single cask 10 year Ballechin last year and have yet to open it! Good stuff!

[@sandrofazzolari8833]

Dear Ralfy , I am not sure you have time to read comments on your older reviews. I got two bottles of this after a friend let me try a recent bottling. It is now matured in ex bourbon casks and then two years in European oloroso sherry which adds a real fruity complexity. I really think this is now more complex and better in general. Thanks 🙏 for your patience with us . Kindest regards, S.

[@thewhiskybothy]

. . . multi-casking, if done properly, can add depth.

[@InVacuo]

Octomore is actually up to 309ppm now :)

[@WhiskyWhistle]

I found the 6th release(Sauternes?) which I really liked. I've avoided the 10 till now, but I'll go for it next time I see it thanks to you review. Thanks, Ralfy!

[@Markus_Heinonen]

Did you ever get one, Mark? Hopefully getting a bottle in December.

[@dumluk1984]

Hey Ralfy, I stayed in Pitlochry a few weeks ago, and personally found it quite an enjoyable village. But then I live in Florida, so what do I know about Scottish towns. Unfoturnately, I didn't get a chance to visit the Edradour distillery but did enjoy a visit to the Blair Athol distillery.

[@thewhiskybothy]

. . . one distillery visit is better than none, hope you've had a good visit in Scotland !

[@victord.313]

I got the ppm and peat thing just by watching some previous reviews on your channel, comparing, for example, the review of a Lagavulin with the review of an edition of Octomore... and btw, absolutely true, the weather changes so much the behavior of the spirit, I live in a hot country and sometimes the tasting must be a bit rushed, because everything is evaporating!

[@Deliquescentinsight]

Intriguing, being a huge fan of Laphroiag and Ardbeg I am going to keep an eye out for this one -cheers Ralfy

[@DrinkWater713]

How does it compare to Ardbeg 10?

[@160rpm]

Which whiskey is the most peated? the black one?

[@Shane4Bass]

I'm having this for the first time in 2024 in China. I am surprised that you did not add water. For me, this needs water!

[@The_Bookshelf_Life]

Ralfy, is that mold on the wall?

[@rasklaat2]

Britain has such a fascinating climate. Milder than most of the continental Europe - which means warmer in the winter, cooler in the summer, but also much more maritime, a lot of moisture in the air at any time and very volatile.When in Europe you got a long spell of a weather, in Britain you can have several weather changes in one day. In Europe these long spells of, say, dry heat in the summer or sub zero temperatures in the winter would kill off the fungal spores but in Britain the fungal growth thrives thanks to the water in the air and ambient temperatures. So, yes, what you see on this wall is probably some fungal growth coming from high moisture in the air.

[@1o1s1s1i1e]

Interesting review Ralfy! I always try and guess your malt mark and after years of watching and studying at the Manx Bothy I have become quite good at it, so when I guessed 84 and you first gave it an 83 I thought I missed something. Noticed that my local shops are carrying more single malts this past year, some priced well out of my reach, but nice to get a better selection. Take care, Ossie

[@heckbr2]

Hey, Ralfy! Malt mention from Texas: malt marauders or malt mystics. You might have used both, but it's worth a try. Question: how many ml's is a standard pour in your glencairn glass? You're my favorite whisky reviewer! Keep the vids coming!

[@thewhiskybothy]

. . . both these M-mention have been used, . . . 20ml per glass approx !

[@zoranavgustin2486]

Great comment, Ralfy. Would love to see you reviewing some lost Lowlander; Rosebank, Littlemill or Linlithgow.

[@TripleBerg]

Sipping a dram of this while watching the review. I like Coal Ila & this has about the same peat level. It was hot at first. Let it rest as you advised. That helped. Thanks

[@ieatrestoran2930]

Dear Ralfy, the age statement, 12yo, 18yo, and so on, but how is it possible to meet the world demand. Something aging for 12 years after bottling would disappear the minute it is put into the market. What about the next batch? Is it that aging is now done under modern technology just as in the making of diamond, subject to high and extreme heat.

[@thewhiskybothy]

. . it's all about patience, time and long storage in warehouses.

[@kaiserhog]

What could a couple more years in the wood do to this whisky?

[@thewhiskybothy]

. . . mellow and mature it further, and a lot can happen in two years !

[@shugaroony]

Marvellous malt monsters!

[@thewhiskybothy]

. . . now on the M-mention list thanks 1

[@jonswift8288]

Not one for me Ralfy, but I'll use your comment with the wife: No I'm not having a 2nd drink, the 1st one was just the "rehearsal" 👍

[@mikeaddison-saipe5820]

Ralfy - Have you tried the Edradour & Ballechin "Cuvee" 8yo?

[@rossduncan2756]

Hi Ralfy I just tried this one...it’s a bit of a long shot but would you happen to know where Edradour get their peat from?

[@TheReal_DeanD]

I wonder how this compares to the Ardbeg 10. I found some bottles of the Edradour Ballechin 10 yr but it is about $75 USD vs the $45 USD of the Ardbeg 10.

[@whiskyflu]

Hi Ralfy are you planning to review their SFTC(Straight From the Cask) series?

[@inspector_7152]

So this is a revival of the original Ballechin distillery? (1810- 1927). Do you know more of the story behind this whisky?

[@johnhenfrey5936]

Hope you got the Whiskies you were looking for in Cadenheads.

[@thewhiskybothy]

. . . I bought some rum !

[@TheSoteriologist]

20:05 Not quite given away, could be Talisker as much as Lagavulin.

[@thewhiskybothy]

. . . ?

[@thewhiskybothy]

. . . not Talisker.

[@TheSoteriologist]

OK, you have a bit of the 16 yo left to compare directly with the DE ? Thanks in advance.

[@michaeltortorich2042]

Ralfy, a Malt Mention: "Hello, you malty munching midnight Morlocks!" (I just watched the 1960 version of H.G. Wells' *The Time Machine.* It's eerie and atmospheric.)

[@thewhiskybothy]

. . . now on the M-mention list, thanks !

[@Domini_k]

Balvenie 14 ?

[@StrathpefferJunction]

Don't forget the theatre, Ralfy! Lol

[@budzogan]

I wonder what is your opinion on today bottling.

[@thewhiskybothy]

. . . still an oddity !

[@sgisaza]

at 4:50 bragging like a villan..lol that my new catch phrase. I know that is not what was said but it sounded good

[@ilikethingsfromjapan]

Ralphy Please review 808 a whisky based on a TR 808 drum machine. It's a grain NAS whisky chill filtered for purity lol

[@alexk3088]

ilikethingsfromjapan, I wonder if it's aged in plywood? ;)

[@ilikethingsfromjapan]

Their other expression is inspired by a faulty Indesit tumbledrier

[@mark5ization]

Dammit, Ralfy dear! I hate it when you "re-malt mark"! (-Unless you were to lower a mark, which I don't recall you ever doing.)

[@MAredneck927]

Any plans to re-review Elijah Craig now that Heaven Hill has removed the age statement? It's no longer a 12 year old.

[@thewhiskybothy]

. . . no plans, it's no longer a 12yo.

[@antipodesman]

Raw! . . . why not add a bit of water then.

[@LordGeorgeRodney]

lovely stuff.

[@soslan1812]

Hey Ralfy, do you like chess? There is a big tournament that is taking place around your area, top players from all over the world! Just saying.. chess + scotch - good combination :)

[@thewhiskybothy]

. . . I would not last past the first round !

[@pronstorestiffi]

Peaty Whisky is not my thing, enjoyed the review non the less.

[@edermotao1138]

Last!

[@jsbhatti1979]

Ralfy, maybe time to paint this room, making your reviews particularly dark, just a suggestion malt mate.

[@thewhiskybothy]

. . . your right, I need a bit more light !

[@jsbhatti1979]

Check out your review 533 for light reference and there is a coincidence too. 😂

[@The_Bookshelf_Life]

Jez Bhatti it’s really just due to the light in the background.

[@igorigor-yk8qo]

👌👍👌

[@swedishburrito5073]

🥃❤️👍

[@Enselladus]

This is bourbon and sherry cask matured, not just bourbon.

[@williamhone8390]

Dan Smith n

[@kissinuk]

First?

[@kissinuk]

Oh, and thanks for doing this review, I love Ballechin 10 :-)

[@thewhiskybothy]

. . . . Verified as First ! .

[@timchounard3851]

First?