Review 281. Balvenie 14 yo Single cask. A Collection of Curious Casks Series.

To completely level with you: Balvenie is a distillery that’s really not on my radar. Back in the day, some 10 years ago, their ‘Double Wood’ 12 yo used to be a quite decent entry level, ubiquitous expression. Available pretty much everywhere and usually around €40/£35/$50. It was one of hose bottles many of us used to have in our collection when starting our journey and despite all the obvious ‘gripes’ one could have with this one (the minimal ABV, caramel colouring and the chill filtering) in my opinion it really was (and possibly still is) one of the better entry level, core range expressions on the market. When supermarkets were still (and firmly so) a source to find new whiskies for me as a beginner, the Balvenie 12 was one that didn’t disappoint. These days however, it still aims to serve that role as a decent entry level product, or something a not overly fussy supermarket customer might safely pick up without being disappointed with the (lack of) quality, were it not for the fact that the price tag in today’s market might be a tad high. In a lot of markets it’s easily north of €50 or even €60 these days. Which is a price that’s  well beyond the comfort zone of non-discerning, occasional customers whilst also making it very easy to ignore for actual enthusiasts. For less than that I could easily get something like Glencadam 10, Kilkerran 12, Arran 10 or Ardbeg 10 – all of them offering significantly more in terms of flavour, presentation and value.

And yes, you could argue that Balvenie has always been the more luxurious, or premium brand in William Grant’s portfolio, and therefore a more premium prize tag is to be expected. But even then, you could (should!) expect a bit more in terms of value for money. Their 21 yo portwood, arguably the pinnacle of their core range products, easily cruises well beyond the €200 buoy these days. That’s a an awful lot of money for a 40% ABV, coloured and chill-filtered whisky.

Balvenie 14 yo Single cask.  A Collection of Curious Casks Series. Stories 10 - cask N° 2729. Matured in a bourbon barrel, 47.8% ABV, app. €100 but this bottle was a generous gift

So fair to say Balvenie is not exactly top of mind when I’m pondering on where to go to next on my lifelong journey of exploring and discovering whisky. Over the almost 7 years I’ve been blogging about whisky I’ ve reviewed exactly one other expression from them - their Peat Week 14 year old from 2018, which, granted, I thought was excellent. And which, incidentally, at the time I bagged for just shy of €63. Times have changed indeed! (You won’t find that review by using the search bar I’m afraid as it’s stuck in the messy limbo of the Archives section. If you’re brave enough, you’ll find it there. Somewhere.)

Just painting a picture as to where I am in regards to a brand like Balvenie. I don’t have anything against them whatsoever, it’s just that they tend to not be on my radar when I’m out looking for another bottle of whisky. Cue my pal Glenn, who was so kind and generous to gift me this bottle.  I already spoke about him in my final review of 2025, and  I have been fortunate and privileged to shake hands with him since then, when he visited my hometown Antwerp in June this year.

Nose

Tinned fruit (peach and apricot) and citrus notes of rich, sweet and dry orange peel, with some more sour lime and lemon notes in the mix too. There’s a slightly funky herbaceous  (grass, parsley, a whiff of hay) and woody touch. Honey and a hint of vanilla and to close the deal a grainy note of sour dough, with a salinity and a mineral, copper (as in metal, not Sulphur)  like element.

Palate

Soft, gentle arrival. Again the fruit notes are there (both the citrus and the white fruit) as are those herbal and woody elements and the grain, but all in an almost understated and subtle delivery. The texture is medium full and somewhat dry and woody.

Finish

Long, medium dry and again there’s a hint of salinity.

Final thoughts

Now, these ‘Curious Casks’ releases are relatively new in their range, but Balvenie’s  policy  of releasing single cask bottlings at a slightly higher ABV is nothing new. For well over two decades they’ve been releasing both 12 yo (ex-bourbon) and 15 yo (ex-sherry) single cask releases under the ‘Single Barrel’ range and I feel these Curious Cask bottlings are essentially them blowing the dust off those, with a more elaborate (fancy) marketing to it, what  with the whole storytelling element woven into it. The quality is there, the price tag might be considered somewhat steep, and the marketing and presentation do focus on the whisky and the people making it (which is a good thing, obviously), making at least an effort to connect with the customer. Does it distract from what it has to offer in the glass? Luckily, the answer is no.

In fact,  I’m really getting into this. The first few pours were, if not a bit ‘generic’  than certainly those of a  very ‘classic’ bourbon cask matured whisky. But once past the shoulder it’s starting to open up and it’s slowly but surely revealing different layers and aspects. For now, I’m going to hand this one a score of 83/100, but I’ve got a strong feeling that, as I make my way through this bottle, it will cruise its way to one or two extra points!