Scotch Whisky Review #456: Signatory Vintage Ballechin 16 Year Sherry Butt After Islay

Distillery: Edradour.

Bottler: Signatory Vintage.

Region: Highland.

Age: 16 Year. Distilled on April 12th, 2003. Bottled October 4th, 2019.

ABV: 58.9%. Cask Strength.

Color: 1.9, Brown Sherry. Natural Color and Non-Chill Filtered.

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Nose: It is quite smoky and very reminiscent of sitting at a bar while a bartender is making one of those fancy drinks involving torching a plank of wood to generate some smoke in front of you. A seeming truckload of sherry and cigar ash hang around.

Palate: The cigar notes from the nose are what are most prominent here for me. There’s a ton of cigar smoke and ash reminding me heavily of the few times I’ve been to a cigar lounge. Adding a little bit of water brings out more wine-esque notes but leaves things as very dark and very earthy.

Finish: Medium in length. There’s cigar ash residue along with something that is a bit astringent.

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Conclusion: If I was someone who absolutely loved smoking cigars or being around people who do, I think I would have found this dram to be right up my alley. From the moment you pour it into the glass to the final moments it lingers on the tongue, the entire experience was like smoking a cigar in a smoke filled room. While some sherry peeps out here and again in the nose and palate, for the most part it is really drowned out by the cigar notes. Unfortunately, I’m not someone who particularly enjoys cigars (though I’ll have one on very rare occasion) so this wasn’t for me in the end. It is a bit too simple for my liking as well, with virtually no depth. Not bad and still pleasant to drink, but certainly flawed in my eyes.

Final Score: 77.

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Scotch Whisky Review #456, Highland Review #93, Whisky Network Review #613

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Scoring Legend:

• 96-100: The perfect dram, nectar of the gods.
• 90-95: Near perfect, there is something truly special about this whisky and I will always try to keep a bottle of this in my collection if feasible.
• 85-89: Very good to amazing, almost the complete product and I’m likely wanting a bottle or two.
• 80-84: Quite good, pleasant overall though there is usually a few things that could be improved still.
• 75-79: Good, enjoyable to drink but ultimately flawed.
• 70-74: Alright, solid and wouldn’t go out of my way to get it.
• 60-69: Meh, still drinkable.
• Below 59: If you have a bottle of this, start cooking with it instead.