New Release: Balvenie 2002 14 Year Old Official 'Peat Week' 48.3%

An intriguing new release. Balvenie BALVENIE 2002 14yo OB 'PEAT WEEK' 48.3% American Oak The aroma is diverse, featuring apricot jam, baked apple, honey, smoked nuts and toast, with a gradually intensifying sweet vanilla and cookie note. On the palate, it offers a rich sweetness with an oily texture reminiscent of orange curacao and honey-infused cookies, finishing with gentle maltiness and smoky undertones. [Good/Very Good] A new official bottling called 'Peat Week' has been released by Balvenie. In addition to the aging duration, this bottling also includes a vintage notation, making it one of the small batch series from the same distillery. This particular bottling is 14 years old, distilled in 2002, and even includes the brand's signature unusual alcohol content after dilution. Balvenie is one of the few distilleries that still practice floor malting, but they only produce strongly peated malt for one week a year. This bottling uses the malt produced during that 'Peat Week'. Since they also produce their own blended whisky called 'Grants', it's likely that peated whisky is used as a hidden ingredient there as well. To put it simply, this is a malt that adds a nicely balanced roasted nuance to Balvenie's characteristic diverse aromatic elements. Of course, it doesn't have an overwhelming peatiness, but rather a robust Speyside character as its base. The added smokiness and richness seem to manifest as notes of toast, cookies, baked fruits, and smoked nuts. While not a classic style, it's an interesting release that doesn't stray too far from tradition.