The Balvenie Distillery, a major fixture of the Speyside Scotch picture. The flagship single malt from Balvenie’ s little group of Port Wood whiskies. This bottling was finished in thirty year old port pipes and is a veritable masterclass in poise and balance.

The Portwood is about mid-way up The Balvenie line, and given that it’s a 21 Year Old, in and of itself that is a testament to how rarefied The Balvenie’ s Scotch can be. The process is deceptively simple. After more than two decades in traditional oak, the whiskey is then transferred to very aged Port pipes for finishing. The Malt Master then keeps an eye (or rather, his taste buds) on it until the Scotch has absorbed the desired Port wine characteristics.

The Balvenie Portwood comes in that distillery’s classic packaging: a lovely clear glass bottle with an off-white Edwardian label, topped by a heavy foil wrapper and a wood-and-cork stopper.

Color: Clear, bright copper. Bottled at 47.6% abv.

Nose: Elegant. A perfume of fruity and ripe raisin notes, backed by a nutty dryness. White peach and a faint puff of smoke. Is light and refined, with a scent that is both fruity and nutty, endowing it with a certain dry tartness. It’s also musty and earthy, not unsurprising when one considers this is old whiskey finished in hoary Port wood.

Palate: Surprisingly delicate. Abounding, yet fine. Her sublime mouthfeel carries, masterfully: red fruit, raisins, an edge of white grape and a very floral honey, creamy and silky with fruit.

It’s the musty, woody aspects that predominate on the palate. Unlike so many earthy whiskeys, however, that side is not overpowering. There is a little bit of the ancient tawny red fruit flavor there, and the same dry nuttiness from the nose. Rounding things out is a pinch of spice.

Finish: Long, gentle, nutty, clear, lingering, leaving a slight nutty aftertaste Cocoa, slightly bitter as it tails away gracefully.

Balance, Body & Feel: The Balvenie Portwood is first and foremost a delicate, well-balanced spirit. Insofar as sipping whiskey goes, it’s not the sort of thing you sip and enjoy while your mind wanders on other matters. The Portwood is the sort of thing you sip, and then ponder on how it got such a profound texture. It practically whispers “study me” from the snifter.