Balblair 1991/2023 - 31 yo - G&M CC UPPER

Volume: 0.7 litres | Alcohol content: 51.8% | Chill filtration: No | Colouring: No

Special Features:

A single Refill American Hogshead shapes this long-matured release in the Connoisseurs Choice range. Balblair distilled the single malt in 1991; after 31 years of maturation, Gordon & MacPhail bottled the whisky from cask 3371 on 16 February 2023. The cask yielded 260 bottles.

The whisky retains its natural colour and is bottled without chill filtration at a cask strength of 51.8%. Its character combines ripe fruit with toasted grain, creamy orange marmalade and spicy, woody accents. The bottle contains 0.7 litres and comes in a wooden box.

Tasting Notes:

• Nose: Ripe banana and apple open the nose before toasted grain emerges. Subtle hints of cocoa powder and lime blossom add to the aromas.
• Palate: The whisky feels soft and creamy on the palate. Bold orange marmalade combines with pressed apple and pear, while freshly crushed pepper provides a spicy counterpoint.
• Finish: Lively citrus notes give way to charred oak on the finish. Subtle herbal notes accompany this transition.

Distillery/Bottler:

Balblair is located in Edderton in the northern Highlands and was founded in 1790. Even after the distillery moved closer to the railway, the Ault Dearg remained its water source. The distillery belongs to Inver House Distillers; this single malt was independently bottled by Gordon & MacPhail.

Gordon & MacPhail has operated in Elgin since 1895. Its work extends beyond bottling: it selects casks to suit each distillery's new-make spirit and oversees its maturation. An extensive collection of past whisky samples helps assess how different spirits develop and how casks influence them. In 1968, George Urquhart created Connoisseurs Choice to give a platform to distilleries whose whisky was then used predominantly in blends. The range makes their individual single malts accessible.

Facts: