This Balblair was gifted to me by a shop owner when he fell victim of another buying spree of mine. I don’t think it’s necessarily a good sign, just ask my wallet and please don’t tell my wife.

I don’t have much experience with Balblair, I bought my first bottle last year and it was a sherry cask matured one.  So it’s nice to try a bourbon barrel matured expression too. This one was distilled in 1989 and bottled in 2012, so it’s around 22 years old.

The natural colour is bright and vibrant and looks juicy. The taste:

Nothing wrong with this lad. Despite its age and the ABV of 46% the wood hasn’t taken over, that’s a good thing. It’s beautifully vibrant and playful. It’s nothing special, but a pretty fine daily dram, as you can see from the contents that are left after 2 months.

How about your shopping sprees? Ever had a shop owner who has given you something to thank you for clearing his shelves?