Infrequent Flyers Balmenach 12 years

Score: 71

Balmenach 12 Year Old (Infrequent Flyers) is a single cask, cask-strength Speyside whisky, matured in a Moulis-en-Médoc Bordeaux wine hogshead. This secondary maturation enhances Balmenach’s robust character with rich fruit and spice, creating a decadent, dessert-like dram. Bottled at 57.3% ABV, it delivers a bold yet refined experience. The nose presents rum and raisin fudge, apricots, peaches, and almond praline, leading into a palate of brown sugar, brandy snaps, pecan pie, and vanilla ice cream. Hints of cranberries, red plums, cinnamon, ginger, and allspice add depth, while the finish lingers with sweet, tannic oak and chocolate nuts. A limited release of 298 bottles, this expression showcases Balmenach’s rich malt profile, elevated by the elegance of Bordeaux wine cask maturation CLUB TASTING NOTES "The nose is the full spectrum. Something to tickle every part." "Also good, very sweet and malty." "Lovely sweet spirit matched with intense oak on the nose. This through line lasts right into the finish and is a well constructed whisky." "Tastes like it should. Like a sherry bomb turned up to a sherry bomb gathering with a knife, and then this turned up and said, that's not a knife, this is a knife, except it was just a big knifey nose of sherry." "Rum and raisins..." "Sweet and nutty, baked fruits. little hint of being oily, and, wine cask influence all in a bottle. Lovely dram but very unique - you'd either love it or hate it". "Yum! Strong alcohol presence." "Nose a touch underwhelming, coastal, sherry notes. Palate nice and textural oily".