Ballechin is a heavily peated scotch from Edradour, differentiated by brand much in the same way Springbank and Bruichladdich do with their peated offerings. It first appeared in 2003 and has seen a few limited releases before this 10 year old appeared on the market. The Ballechin 10 takes its name from a nearby Perthshire farm distillery that closed in 1927. According to the 19th century travel writer Alfred Barnard, that distillery made a peated malt. This whisky is peated to at least 50ppm.
Distillery: Edradour
Region: Highland
Age: 10 years
Strength: 46%
Price: $79.99
Location: Pitlochry
Maturation: Bourbon and Oloroso Sherry casks
Nose: Cedar, conifer tar, peat, apple cider
Palate: Smoke, earth, peat, spice, cocoa
Finish: Smoke
Comments: Let it sit in your glass to oxidize a little while. The burn dissipates and the nose becomes more complex.
Adam – The Ballechin 10 is a uniquely peated scotch. The mixing of peat with Edradour’s base spirit results in a whisky that allows the peat and smoke to shine without overwhelming. It is smooth, which can be a little unusual in a heavily peated malt. The smoke carries a delightful mixture of wood and spice and everything nice, like autumn in New England. The smoke dials back on the palate to allow the peat to bring forth this earthy, spicy essence that encourages deep contemplation before finishing with another puff of smoke on the back end that lingers with a slightly oily mouthfeel. Feels like a great spring or autumn scotch.
Meghan – I think the Ballechin 10 may be a lesson about doing your notes in season. I remember enjoying it but when I retasted today, it does not do anything for me. The nose had a lot of burnt, buttered popcorn on it. I don’t mind my popcorn a little on the dark side, but I don’t like the smell. The whisky also has a gasoline smell to it before it oxidizes. This is one to pour and then walk away from for a while. The front of the palate was very smooth- almost silky with buttery, vanilla notes. However, I don’t care much for the flavor of vanilla- for me, it should be used to heightened other flavors, not be the main flavor (and keep vanilla-scented things far away from me, please). The main flavors I picked up were peat, cocoa, and dirt. Yep, good ‘ol backyard dirt. That peat-heavy combination may have been perfect in February but at the end of April…not so much. The finish is quite hot. I find this strange because overall, it is not a hot whisky but there was definite burning at the end, leaving my tongue feeling singed. It is a peat and smoke heavy finish, which is generally just what I want but not today. I also found that the whisky left my mouth feeling unclean, like I had been chewing on a cigar or a hunk of peat. I regret not being diligent in taking notes during my initial tastings but I guess my later review provides a different perspective to this Edradour entry.
Michael – It’s a really enjoyable scotch. To some extent it feels like the focus is just on the peat. It’s a delicious, even peat.
The smoke carries a delightful mixture of wood and spice and everything nice.
Mary-Fred – Very smooth but it’s not sweet. It’s not like Christmas tree woody, like walking into my mother’s cedar closet. The first sense I got from the nose is one of invitation. This one is more of a promise or a hint. It’s very smooth, not an overwhelming nose or palate but with a lingering mouth presence.
Peter – The Ballechin 10 is like an acoustic song. Arty, breathy, smooth. Like Barbara Streisand.
Ben – This is maybe a little unfair because I don’t wash my body with things like Axe or Irish Spring. It smells like pine tar soap, the manly stuff they sell to men. It tastes like what they market to males to enjoy in smell and flavor. This is like a cabin at the lake, a little too late in the season to swim but you just go there to be there.
Henry – This is soft from the get go. It does not claw itself down, it is smooth and deceptively soft. This is a cabin in winter. You come to your cabin and put the fire on.
