Balvenie – 14 Year Old The Week of Peat (70cl, 48.3%)

This is a 14-year-old single malt from Balvenie, bottled at 48.3% in a 70cl bottle and part of The Balvenie Stories series. It is a peated expression, made with malt dried over Speyside peat smoke. The idea goes back to Ian Millar, then the distillery manager, who wanted to experiment with the distillery's style after a visit to Islay. Balvenie devoted one week each year to peated distillate. The whisky matured in American oak and is non-chill-filtered. On the nose, sweet, soft peat smoke sits with light floral notes, honey and buttery caramel. The palate is velvety, with peat balancing citrus, oak, vanilla and blossom honey. The finish stays gently smoky, with lingering creamy vanilla.