Balblair 1990 15 Dewar-Rattray [Feather’s Flight Review Set #14]

So a guy walks into a bar. And some other people do too, but let’s just talk about this one guy. It’s a month after his birthday, however he’s enjoying it now. And he has some drinks. And the bar is called Feather’s Pub, located in Toronto, in the Beaches.

And that guy is me.

So my wife wasn’t too happy that I had picked out a Speyside ahead of her. To make it up, I let her pick my Highland this time.

It was supposed to be a surprise. Unfortunately she’s Newfie and her ability to yell is quite honed over the years. As such my piss poor attempt at closing my ears didn’t work too well.

Oh well. It was Balblair 1990 15 Dewar-Rattray. I was quite interested in the name, Dewar-Rattray. This isn’t part of the A.D. Rattray Collection, which is the most recent part brought out by Rattray. Dewar-Rattray seems to be from the old line up.

So let’s see how they did when they were owned by Suntory for that short period of time (I think… the website was confusing me).

Anyway, let’s see how this tastes, shall we?

Price: N/A in Ontario

Region: Highland

Cask Type: Sherry

Cask Number: 1146

Number of Bottles: 585

Date Distilled: 30.04.1990

Date Bottled: 29.06.2005

Abv: 62.9%

Colour: 7.5Y 9/6

Nose: Lemon, pineapple, mango, cumin, floral, club soda

Very fruity. I know this was in sherry, yet those red fruit notes aren’t dominating here. More so tropical fruits. If I didn’t know better, I’d almost say this was in a lighter rum cask. Yet checking the colour, I’d be wrong.

And that’s half the battle. Or something.

Taste: Pepper, strawberry, chestnut, caramel, lemon candy

Now we have more sherry influence, however in the line of whiskies for the evening, it’s not a sherry bomb again.

I typically don’t like 15 year whiskies. Why? Because I can’t marry them. Also because they typically are just blah. This, on the other hand, is not blah. Not blah at all. The chestnut note brings it alive. Like a nut bomb. In my mouth (make your own jokes).

Finish: Raspberry, cinnamon, herbal, pepper, ham

Reminds me of a really good ham, like the ones my mother makes. With a good helping of spice, and somehow a tart raspberry coulis a la cranberry sauce on the side.

Herbal note doesn’t overpower it here.

Conclusion: For what this is, I liked it. And what it is: Big flavours, interesting notes, a nice light nose, and a different direction. Different isn’t always a good thing; however a sherry influence that doesn’t just do red fruits, and instead melds well with the dram is what I liked about it.

Also the chestnut note; can’t get over that. It was just so good. No insane amounts of flavours or memories or massive, knock me on my ass flavours, yet it’s a good purchase. If you can’t still find it. Which I doubt.

84/100

Scotch review #408, Highland review #79, Whisky Network review #629