2009 Edradour Ballechin Huelva Orange Wine Cask Finish 15 Year Old Cask Strength Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)

For veterans, a Ballechin alternative to sip over Summer. For newbies who don't want their taste buds overwhelmed by peat smoke, this should also appeal. The 26 month finishing period took place in first-fill Huelva orange wine hogsheads. "What's that?" you ask. Known in Spanish as vino de naranja or vino naranja, it's an aromatised sweet wine with a long tradition in Andalucía as an aperitif, especially in the Condado de Huelva. Produced using a base of sweet white wine to which macerated orange peel is added, the mix is left to age in oak butts for at least two years in a solera (same as the solera racks used for ageing sherry). Expect notes of grilled stone fruits, layers of sweet orange, hints of tropical fruit and toasted oak underscored by mature smoke and maritime peat. A novel Ballechin, not super smoky, and one of those drams you don't need to over analyse. Start here, then dive deeper into Ballechin with their bourbon and oloroso matured bottlings. The outturn was 2430 bottles at 54.1% Alc./Vol. Non chill filtered.

Other reviews... The orange wine: very sweet, creamy, winey aromas with lots of orange and white cane sugar. Not worth a second glass. Nose - Incredibly sweet smoke sets the tone on the initial nose. Oranges, mandarins, and grapefruits join in, but without any acidity. A very elegant vanilla note becomes increasingly present. It's somewhat reminiscent of a Sidecar cocktail with a hint of smoky whisky. The nose picks me up, albeit very sweet. Mouth - Here, too, a direct entry with sweetness and smoke. Compared to the nose, however, the sweetness is no longer as overpowering, but rather consistent and calmer, with a creamy mouthfeel. This is joined by a few citrus fruits and peach. The smoke provides sufficient energy. Ginger is present. The finish is more direct, with another burst of sweetness and oranges, along with a blazing campfire that lingers for a long time. The finish of the whisky is medium-length and unfortunately fades a bit too quickly, or rather, it can't compete with the smoke. - whiskybase.com