Sunday, December 9, 2018

First blog- Introduction & Balvenie 14 yr old single malt whisky review


First and foremost I want to welcome and thank you for visiting  my blog singlemaltlives.com. I consider myself an admirer of fine whisky specifically single malt scotch. I believe there are many like minded admirers who enjoy the art of enjoying fine whisky. Why do I admire it? Because the process of making whisky is long and slow hence it must be admired before drinking. I am not a scotch expert just a regular guy who likes whisky. I also have many stories to tell, distillery visits, travels etc. My goal with this blog is to review as many whiskies as I can in very layman terms so my visitors know about the taste and flavor of a particular whisky. Occasionally I will post reviews on bourbon and american whiskeys as well. Eventually I plan to add lifestyle topics like Travel, food, movies as well however my primary focus is reviewing single malt whiskey. My review is very simple no fancy Scotch Jargon's. Based on my scotch tastings I will simply state whether I would buy it or not again. Also after tasting countless whiskies and bourbons I have come to realize that it is not just the cost of the liquor but the flavor which is more important.   Contrary to what my taste buds are familiar now, there used to be a time when I rarely every drank whisky, I was a beer guy. If in some rare occasions I did have whisky it was just to get drunk fast not to sip it slowly enjoying the aroma or taste of the fine liquid. People who enjoy single malts have developed a taste profile over years and know exactly why they appreciate the quality of it. I am pretty sure everyone has a story of their own on how they got introduced into single malting.  

It was winter of 2015 when one of my friends introduced Glenfiddich 15 to me. That was the first time I realized whisky’s could be sipped instead of chugging down 😊. There has been no looking back since. I have tried many single malts Glenfiddich 12, 15, Glenlivet 12, Balvenie 12, 15, Macallan 12, Oban 12, Speyburn, Kings Majesty 12 and some that I cannot remember. Every sip of a single malt whisky is worth it because it is meant to be enjoyed slowly. They say there is no proper way to drink whiskey but when it comes to single malt I believe it is meant to be sipped neat, no ice, no water and definitely no mixers. Dropping a few drops of water is said to open up the whisky and that is optional. I am no scientist and don’t intend to be one so its completely up to the drinker how they want to enjoy it.

Today, I am talking about the best single malt I have ever tasted Balvenie 14 year old Caribbean cask. I have no words to explain how good this delicious pour of God gifted golden liquid is.  These are special because they are extra matured in rum casks.  The moment I poured it in the glass I could smell the aroma of rum which is so very pleasant. After admiring its golden amber color and amazing aroma , I  take a sip and it is very smooth and delicious. I have tried the regular Balvenie 12 but this is above and beyond the best I have ever had.
My review: Highly recommended and personally I would buy again. 
Below is a picture I took. 



This blog is a work in progress and I would highly appreciate to hear any feedback from you.Anything I could add, any whisky you would like to get reviewed or just any general comment. Also, if you think the content I provide would be valuable to other like mined enthusiasts please share the word. 

Thanks again and welcome to singlemaltlives.com  Cheers 🥃🥃🥃🥃🥃




27 comments:

  1. Hey Brother, cool blog!! I like that it's written for the simple, uncomplicated man like myself. It's honest and straightforward. Only a couple of typos which I can show you if you want. For future pics, maybe get a good shot of the label to aid people in recognizing it if they go to pick it up. Great job!!

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    1. Appreciate your honest feedback. I will definitely look out for typos and also improve on my picture quality.

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  2. Cool blog.
    My suggestions would be to maybe add higher quality pictures against a contrasting background.
    Also mention how you conducted your tasting.
    Was it neat, on the rocks or as they do in Scotland with a splash of water?

    In any case, great first post!
    Cheers.

    FQ

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    1. That's a great point I will mention how I enjoyed it for sure. Personally i do it neat. Also, I will improve on the picture composition. Thanks.

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  3. Great work Sajag! I like that its simple to read and digest. Have you thought about a KPI whisky meter? You can use it to indicate your ratings?

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    1. KPI indicator sounds like a great efficient way to summarize the reviews. Thanks for the feedback.

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  4. Good post. A lot of people don't know what exactly is a single malt, how is it made over the years and what ingredients are used. I think these details would help us to know more about the liquor and drink as desired to enrich the taste individually.

    Nice write.

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    1. I will educate about single malt briefly in my upcoming blog. Yes many people do not know about it. Thanks for the input.

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  5. Its a simple yet powerful blog on the love of my life- single malt scotch. You hit the nail on the head with Balvenie 14 review. I would just maybe categorize it further based on Nose, Taste/Palette and Finish. These three things are very simple yet accurate reflection of how good a Scotch is, and Balvenie 14 rates high on all these categories and hence why it is most people’s “go-to” drink when it comes to single malts. A noble effort nevertheless and I look forward to seeing more reviews on your weekly indulgement of the highly touted “golden liquid” from here on out. Simply can’t wait for the next blog!

    Godspeed,
    Suyesh

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  6. Very simple yet powerful review on the love of my life -Single Malt Scotch. You hit the nail on the head with your review of Balvenie 14. It is a precious little piece of art, isn’t it? Next time, I would may be try to review it based on Nose, Taste/Palette and Finish, so it is a complete end-to-end review. I can’t wait until the next episode of this blog, and see what new “golden liquid” is next to be discussed. Well done, home boy!
    Suyesh

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    1. Sway, I can attest to the fact that Balvenie 14 is the love of my life too. Anyone who has enjoyed it knows what we are talking about.
      And yes nose, taste and finish are quintessential aspects of a scotch review and I will include it from my next blog.
      This is exactly the feedback I needed to improve. Now I have a responsibility to provide quality and valuable contents to my viewers. Humble beginnings yet taking my time to mature just like the golden liquid itself.

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  7. This is an awesome insight into single malt whisky. Usually I don’t pay attention to the taste when drinking any whisky. Having said that, I am certain to enjoy every sip of the smooth and delicious, God gifted golden liquid in the near future��.
    Good job on your first post!!
    ������
    Mikcey

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    1. Thanks Mickey, I'm glad you are inspired to stop and smell the roses after reading my blog. I am determined to provide valuable content in every blog.

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  8. I enjoy whiskey once in a while and choosing what to sip has always been a difficult part. I look up reviews to make sure I am not buying something that is not worth while, but the reviews are way too technical most of the time. I am glad I found this website. I'd like someone like a friend to suggest me what is good and what is not that great, not a whiskey connoisseur who's been doing evaluations four decades.

    Looks like I'll be frequenting your website to get tips often.

    Cheers

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    1. Thanks for your valuable comments and yes you are in the right place. We are all friends/like minded people here who will guide beginners to select the whisky that is just right for them.

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  9. Looking forward to the blog. Great choice of whisky too!

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  10. Thanks Sanskar and yes nothing can go wrong with Balvenie 14 its simply the best.

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  11. Nice job Sajag, nice to see you are materializing your knowledge into an informative blog, I have one inquiry though, would you suggest any mix (soda, fruit juice, etc) for whisky beginners maybe.

    Cheers,
    Diego

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    1. Thank you Diego I appreciate your interest in the blog and your feedback.
      I suggest everyone to drink single malt whisky neat(no ice,soda, orange juice) because it's the way to truly enjoy the aroma and taste and do justice to it. There are times when you can put ice(rouded ice) like on a hot summer day, in a cocktail etc or if you feel the whisky is not so smooth it is a good idea.

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  12. Nice and well illustrated blog. This blog has provided me with a good insights on the different traits of whiskies.These information will definitely come in handy when it comes to selecting good scotch and whiskies. All the very best and I look forward to your next blog.

    Cheers

    Agrim

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    1. Agrim, I am glad that the information is of some value to you. I will continue to provide helpful insights to pick your next bottle along with tips to enhance your whisky tasting experience. Thank you and Cheers.

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  13. Thanks for the nice review. I have never had this scotch, but will have to try it out now. I look forward to seeing more reviews and maybe getting some ideas for the home bar :)

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    1. Shiv, Thanks for liking my blog. I will definately provide valuable content to fuel some ideas for you home bar. And yes you will not go wrong with Balvinie 14 , its simply a work of art , the rolls royce of scotch.

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  14. This is such an amazing and honest post. Sagak dai I just love your passion on trying to make difference by educating people about safety of drinking and practicing taste forward behavior!!! I have known you for a long time, and for that I can tell from a different level that not only this blog post is to educate ppl abt taste of whisky but also to indicate that feeling the taste of an liquor would lead to less consumption!!! Great post!!

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    1. Sid..you are spot on when you say feeling the taste of liquor leads to less consumption. I am all about sipping slowly enjoying the subtle flavors and aroma of the precious liquid. I also highly encourage responsible drinking. Thank you so much for liking and reading my blog.

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  15. Pretty informative and handy during the festive seasons. Now I know for sure what to drink and how to drink. Good job!!!

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    1. I am glad that you found it helpful when selecting your next whisky. Festive seasons top the list when it comes to enjoying a fine whisky and I will definitely post more valuable whisky reviews in the upcoming posts.

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