Allt-a-bhainne has not been released in a distillery bottling.

The Balvenie is now released in three delicious expressions and two special bottlings.

Founder's Reserve (10-year-old, 43 vol.): This is an exquisite whisky with depth and complexity. The color is orangey-gold. The nose is rich with a honey/orange aroma underscored by an earthy, muskiness. The palate is sweet and malty at first with a hint of sherry. The flavor turns to dryness, bringing out chocolatey and spicy notes. The finish is complex with a burst of multiple flavors. 86

DoubleWood (12-year-old, 43 vol.): Matured for ten years or more in bourbon casks, the whisky is then finished in oloroso sherry casks. The deep amber color is witness to the sherry, which is also evident in the nose along with perfumy, malty, and slightly peaty notes. The palate is an exquisitely well-balanced combination of sweetness, sherry, nuttiness, orange fruitiness, spiciness and malty dryness. The finish is long and warm with lingering raisin and fruitcake notes. A delicious malt. 89

The DoubleWood was one of the first (in a now long line) to introduce the idea of "finishing" a whisky in a wine cask after beginning its maturation in an oak, former bourbon-fill cask.

The previous, and still most prevalent method of adding a measure of sherry to a single malt was to mix together, at bottling time, whiskies that had spent their entire maturing period in one cask or the other.

Single Barrel (15-year-old). When The Balvenie revised their line of releases in theearly 1990's, the two expressions above were reduced to 40 vol. (They have since been released at 43 vol.). A bit weak by today's standards, it leaves little room to add water and "open" the nose. The 15-year-old is bottled at cask strength (about 50 vol. depending upon cask) and affords an opportunity to examine the whisky in its natural state and reduced with water that is added by the drinker.

The sample I tasted was extremely rich and had a dry, dusty nose, with notes of vanilla, butter, honey, and oak. The palate was sweet with a hint of orange marmalade. The finish was drier with spicy notes. 88

A 15-year-old Cadenhead (1979-95, 56.6 vol., sherry cask), has an amber color and a nose heavy with sherry, raisins, tobacco and old leather. The palate is definitely sherry cask, though elements of honey and flowers come through. The finish lingers, but is one-dimensional, cough syrupy. 70

For a time a 15-year-old cask strength (51 vol.) expression was available that was very good. Light gold color, pear-like, floral nose, a smooth, clean palate with a little oak, and a hint of earthy, peatiness. Becomes quite dry in the finish. There are a few bottles of this still available and worth grabbing. 79

Solera Reserve: This 15-year-old comes from a novel process that may prove interesting. In essence, 15-year-old or older whiskies from casks made of American oak, European oak, or Spanish oak (sherry cask), will be melded together in a large "Solera Cask", only half of which will be dispersed into bottles at any given time. Presumably, as this process goes on and on there will always remain a bit of whiskey from every cask ever contributed to the mix. Interesting, but I have yet to taste any. The real test will be in 15 or 20 years. 77

Ancient Reserve: This 18-year-old is quite pleasant with some interesting depth to it. A malty, floral nose has some underlying sherry and peaty character. The palate is dry, clean, smooth, malty with a little smoky peatiness. 78

In the UK there are several special releases that are unavailable in the US:

Millennium Reserve 21-Year-Old
30-Year-Old
50-Year-Old

A 17-year-old Hart Brothers bottling (1980-1997, 43 vol.) has a gold/amber color. The nose has a little sherry, a slight citric sharpness, and a big smoky, peaty, nutty undercurrent. The palate is smooth, slightly chewy, and dry with some soft raisiny-fruity notes. The finish is dry, smoky and peaty. Very enjoyable. 87

The oloroso sherry is the most interesting and persistent experience, aside from the mouth-puckering dryness. 67