Balmenach 2013 Aged 8 Years Single Malt Scotch Whisky – Infrequent Flyers #74 (700ml)

Volume: 700ml           ABV: 58.4%           Age: 8 Years Old           Country: Scotland

Cask Number: 131
Date of Distilling: 2013
Matured In: a single 1st Fill ex-Bourbon Barrel
Un-Chillfiltered

Independent bottlers, have been around for a many years. They source whiskies from different distilleries throughout Scotland and around the world, and using their experience bottle them as single casks. These whiskies are then presented in their most natural form which includes no chill filtering, bottling at natural colour, and more options at cask strength.

Established in 2008 The Alistair Walker Company is based in Grangemouth in Central Scotland. Alistair has almost 20 years experience in the whisky industry and is not affiliated to any one distillery. Alistair’s career in the whisky industry began in January 1997, at Burn Stewart Distillers in a sales and marketing role for over six years. At that time Burn Stewart was the custodian of two single malt distilleries – Deanston and Tobermory. In October 2004, he joined The BenRiach Distillery Company, and remained with them for over twelve years, until the business was eventually sold. This was a new-start business, that had been set up in 2004 following the acquisition, by three entrepreneurs, of the BenRiach Distillery from Pernod Ricard. In addition to BenRiach, Alistair also had the good fortune to work with the GlenDronach and Glenglassaugh Distilleries, with BenRiach having acquired GlenDronach in 2008, and then Glenglassaugh in 2013. In 2018, Alistair found himself on hiatus, and contemplating what to do next.

Keen to be his own boss and also wishing to remain in the whisky sector, he decided to venture into the exciting world of independent bottling. Making the move from distillery to independent bottler is very much a case of ‘gamekeeper turned poacher’. Fortunately, independent bottling is a vibrant category at present; as more and more whisky enthusiasts are seeking out single cask bottlings and whisky releases that are a little different, somewhat unique, and often from less familiar distilleries.

The whiskies the are bottled under the brand name ‘Infrequent Flyers’. That name refers to the nature of many of the casks that are bottled – often whiskies from lesser-known distilleries that are of excellent quality, but have never been widely or consistently available. As such, many of the bottlings are of whiskies that you just don’t see so often – hence the name ‘Infrequent Flyers’.

The Balmenach Distillery  was established in 1824 by entrepreneur James McGregor this distillery lies beyond Grantown-on-Spey in the Haughs of Cromdale. This distillery was one of the first to become legitimate after the Licensing Act of 1823. The distillery takes its water supply from the nearby Cromdale Hills and with it produces around 1,800,000 litres of whisky per year which it mainly uses as a contribution to blend Johnnie Walker. With the whisky from this distillery you can expect peat smoke and a very distinctive flavour. Sharpness and a very rare find.

This single cask single malt whisky was distilled at the Balmenach Distillery before being placed in a 1st fill  ex-Bourbon barrel and left to mature for 8 years. It was bottled at 58.4% abv and marks bottling number 74 of the Infrequent Flyers series.

Only 252 bottles were produced for worldwide distribution.

Our Tasting Notes

Nose: Freshly baked banoffee pie, toasted almonds, creamy vanilla and tinned peaches.

Palate: Lively stone fruits of apricot and peaches, creamy vanilla, toasted almonds, honeycomb and toasted coconut.

Finish: Long with more toasted nuts, lemon zest, baking spices and butterscotch.