Wine Enthusiast 94 points - A port cask finish gives this Scotch a copper penny hue. The aroma suggests baked apple, while the palate has a chewy, concentrated vanilla-oak profile, leading to walnut, leather and espresso. The rounded finish sings with sherry and spice. Adding water coaxes out baked apple sweetness and dials back the oak..Kara Newman, December/2017 Ultimate Beverage Challenge 93 points - Intense and complex with scents of roasted nuts, dried red fruits, toffee, marzipan, and caramel with hints of cedar and clove filling the nose. Creamy and lush on the palate with a warming Port influence. Graceful whilst bold and generous..March/2012 Whisky Advocate 91 points - This is the ultimate PortWood expression from Balvenie and has been finished in 30 year old port pipes. A more vibrant and textured Travel Retail variant is non-chill filtered and bottled at 47.6%. Soft, red grape notes, vanilla, and milk chocolate on the nutty nose. Very discreet smoke. Rich plum flavors in the mouth, dark berries covered in cream, and spicy honey. The finish is long and elegantly drying. Reviewed by: Gavin Smith (Spring 2017).March/2017 To create The Balvenie Portwood, rare 21 year old Balvenie which has been matured in traditional oak casks is transferred to a port cask, or pipe, which has held fine port wines. Here it is sampled every month by The Balvenie Malt Master to ensure that just the right amount of character is imparted by the port casks, enhancing and developing the single malt, whilst preserving its original characteristics. Notes: Great care and craftsmanship goes into each variety of Balvenie Scotch, and each is tasted by the Malt Master. For the Balvenie Single Malt Scotch 21-Year Portwood, the whisky is transferred into port casks that formerly held port wine. The whisky is infused with the characteristics of the port to give it a fruity and ripe raisin aroma with hints of nuttiness. Its flavors are creamy with fruit and honeyed sweetness with notes of spice. With a long, gentle, nutty finish, sip a glass of Balvenie Scotch 21-Year Portwood neat, on the rocks or with water. Size: 750ML Category: Single Malt Scotch Whisky ABV: 43% Country: Scotland Highlights/Awards: 2015 – Gold, Speyside Single Malts 19-30yo at The Scotch Whisky Masters (The Spirits Business) 2014 – Gold, Speyside Single Malt 19-25yo at The Scotch Whisky Masters (The Spirits Business) 2014 – Silver Outstanding, Scotch Single Malt – Speyside at the International Wine & Spirit Competition 2014 – Silver, Distillers' Single Malts 21 Years Old and Over at the International Spirits Challenge 2013 – Silver, Speyside Single Malt 19-25yo at The Scotch Whisky Masters (The Spirits Business) 2013 – Silver, Scotch Single Malt – Speyside at the International Wine & Spirit Competition
