Balvenie TUN 1401 Batch 9 - Maxim Review

[ChainWhip]

Saw SKU retweet this today:

http://www.maxim.com/booze/the-balvenie-tun-1401

Pretty hilarious and sobering at the same time... *sigh*

Booze

The Balvenie Tun 1401 Scotch Whisky

October 23, 2013

Buzz Of The Day

By: Maxim Staff

Bravo! Go on, and take a Balv.

Ready for a Scotch that's a tun of fun?

It's Balvenie Tun 1401 Scotch Whisky: Batch 9!

The nose of this batch is citrusy, sweet, and smells like vanilla. Oak and honey fill the flavor of this whisky and a strong amount of spice hits you in the mouth.

A hot tingling sensation lasts on the palate long after you swallow the spirit, so if you're into that sort of thing (you know, burning tingles), then this is the stuff for you.

But in all seriousness, we love the spicy scotch. It's sophisticated, flavorful, and like many of the great scotches we love, best neat-o.

Edited November 19, 2013 by ChainWhip

[MtnDew]

Seems like a poor way to talk about a whisky that contains some very old and quite tasty stock and seems to be a great "value", at least compared to whiskys that contain similarly aged product. All that being said... I still laughed

[Trey Manthey]

"For true ballers, mix a double shot with this and Fireball Cinnamon whiskey and slam into your awaiting piehole. Now that's SPICY!"

[michaelturtle1]

Unless a supermodel is spouting whiskey from her nipples, I really don't want to get my whiskey news/reviews from Maxim

[LostBottle]

Unless a supermodel is spouting whiskey from her nipples, I really don't want to get my whiskey news/reviews from Maxim

Wait, you mean they didn't steer me right with the Jaeger bombs I've been pounding the last couple of years?!

[michaelturtle1]

I end all of my whiskey tastings with jaeger bombs.. Only seems appropriate and it is a fantastic palate cleanser

[ChainWhip]

I end all of my whiskey tastings with NIPPLE bombs.. Only seems appropriate and it is a fantastic palate cleanser

There... fixed it for ya =]b

[LostBottle]

Maxim forgot to accurately describe the finish, but I have them covered

[Max Power]

Unless a supermodel is spouting whiskey from her nipples, I really don't want to get my whiskey news/reviews from Maxim

[ChainWhip]

Where can I find this woman? My wife would understand...

Screenshot saved for whenever you and the wife make it out here.

[Max Power]

Screenshot saved for whenever you and the wife make it out here.

She'd leave me for the same woman if she knew that there was such a thing...

[ChainWhip]

She'd leave me for the same woman if she knew that there was such a thing...

Hell... I'd leave you for that too.

[Max Power]

Hell... I'd leave you for that too.

Most people would leave me for a bottle of Dewar's White Label, so I'll take it as an extreme compliment.

[ChainWhip]

Maxim forgot to accurately describe the finish, but I have them covered

Ouch... I cringed when I watched that

[ChainWhip]

Most people would leave me for a bottle of Dewar's White Label, so I'll take it as an extreme compliment.

Standards must be upheld.

[Old Lamplighter]

After a long intermission, back to Batch 9. I saw it online a few days ago @$299.99. After viewing & reading so many other aged bottles way on over $300, this does not sound too bad. I had my eye on a local Batch 6 at $225...but, it's now gone...probably under a lighted tree somewhere. :grin:

[MtnDew]

After a long intermission, back to Batch 9. I saw it online a few days ago @$299.99. After viewing & reading so many other aged bottles way on over $300, this does not sound too bad. I had my eye on a local Batch 6 at $225...but, it's now gone...probably under a lighted tree somewhere. :grin:

I think the consensus was 3 > 9 > 6, or something like that, so batch 9 would be a good buy. I have not been able to get another Tun and have instead been staring at my batch 3 just waiting for a good time to open it.

[LostBottle]

Having had all 3 of them, there is little doubt batch 3 is by far the best. In regards to the other two, I liked batch 6 over batch 9. It has a bit more bourbon barrels, so is not quite as sweet and a bit more citrusy. While the sherry on batch 9 is enjoyable, the finish is a bit off for me - it goes bitter, almost like a bad cask coming through after the sherry dies down. I have another friend who disagrees though. I would peg them 3 > 6 > 9, but think they are all good whiskies - others are starting to catch on and the stuff is evaporating from shelves.

[ChainWhip]

I'm coming around on the 9 a little more (less bitterness on the finish now versus when I first opened the bottle) - I need to have my wife do a blind pour of all 3 for me.

[Max Power]

My tastes says 3 > 9 > 6. I like the sherry aspect. I can still get my hands on Batch #9 for somewhere in the $230-240 range OTD if people are having trouble finding them. I'm going to one of those stores tonight that I recall having it (they're holding a VW for me) so I can get it. Send a PM if interested.