In a green Perthshire valley, Edradour's tiny copper stills have been distilling whisky since 1825. But there's another, smokier side to this quiet farm distillery. Ballechin takes its name from a neighbouring distillery that closed nearly a century ago, and the name now lives on in these heavily peated bottlings.
The expert's description
Edradour Ballechin 13 years old SFTC 2004/2018 is a Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky matured in a port cask and bottled at 53.3%.
The whisky belongs to the Straight From The Cask series, where every bottling comes from a single cask with no filtration and no added colour. This particular release was distilled in April 2004 and matured for 13 years in cask no. 199, a port cask that has given the whisky a deep reddish-brown hue and a wine-like sweetness that meets Ballechin's signature peat smoke head-on. The series has long been discontinued, and only 396 bottles were drawn from this one cask.
Tasting notes
Nose
Red berries and dark chocolate arrive first, quickly followed by pecans and damp oak. The port cask lends a sweet, almost wine-like depth that melts into a heavy, earthy peat smoke.
Palate
Strawberries and dark brown sugar sit in layers over the peat, which is present without ever taking over. Spiced oak, caramel and a touch of dried herbs round things off.
Finish
Long and lingering, with flamed orange peel, dark smoke and black pepper, closing on warm spice and a sweetness that takes its time to fade.
Specifications
Name: Edradour Ballechin 13 years old SFTC 2004/2018 Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky 53.3%
Distillery: Edradour Ballechin
Region/Country: Highland, Scotland
Type: Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 13 years
ABV: 53,3 %
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Port cask (cask no. 199)
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Distillation method: Double distilled
Distilled: 15/04/2004
Bottled: 15/01/2018
Number of bottles: Only 396 bottles
Edition: SFTC
EAN no.: 5021944093960
Flavour profile
Peated · Sherry-matured · Fruity · Spicy
Investment potential
This release is assessed to have high investment potential, largely due to the discontinued SFTC series, only 396 bottles and a single cask bottled at cask strength. This is a general assessment based on available information about rarity and demand, not a guarantee of future value growth.
Did you know?
The Ballechin name comes from a small distillery near Edradour that closed in the 1920s — today it lives on as the name for Edradour's peated bottlings.
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