The Balvenie 15 Years Madeira Cask
The Balvenie 15 Years Madeira Cask is a Travel Exclusive bottling from the distillery located in Speyside, Scotland. Not much is really known about the bottling - there was no press release or anything like that. The bottles just turned up. Most of the time, the single malt was matured in ex-bourbon casks before it was decanted into Madeira casks from the Portuguese sunny island of the same name for the finish.
The panel
Mean 80.0 · spread 0
Value for money 3/5
- Distillery
- The Balvenie
- Type
- Single Malt
- Region
- Speyside
- Country
- Scotland
- Age
- 15 years
- Strength
- 43% ABV
- Character
- floral
Tasting
Nose
We immediately smell a wild mix of nuts. Sweetish and with a slight gummy bear aroma, a combination of various berries follows, like those found in the frozen berry mix, i.e. cherries, currants, raspberries. A gentle vanilla-cinnamon-floral-honey jumble lies over everything. Very very pleasant.
Palate
The Speysider single malt opens just as nutty as the nose. More nuts follow with malty intense oak spice, a little bitter orange marmalade paired with ginger and a pinch of pepper. Later, a fruitiness of stone fruit comes through - we're thinking flat peaches - which integrates beautifully with yet more oak and cinnamon. All in all, a good sweet and sour combination.
Finish
The finish of the scotch is medium long, slightly spicy, slightly dusty and of course nutty.
Verdicts
Marcel
A genuine Speyside delight with plenty of nuttiness and a fruity explosion of berries – perfect for those who enjoy it sweet and spicy. Sure, the oak spice puts on the brakes a bit, but that doesn’t make it any less likeable. For a travel release, it’s a solid companion that’s enjoyable without being overwhelming.
Sascha
Structurally, the Balvenie 15 Year Madeira Cask shows a balanced interplay between nutty notes and fruity accents, although the dominant oak spice somewhat overpowers the flavor. The medium-length spiciness on the finish adds complexity, yet it lacks a clear focus to truly stand out. A decent, but not exceptional, travel exclusive single malt from Speyside.
What it is worth
No auction record for this distillery, so we cannot tell you what this bottle is worth. We would rather say that than guess.