Balvenie Portwood – 21-Year
40% ABV – 80 Proof
Suggested Retail Price: $250+
Distiller Rating: 93
Whiskey Reviewer Rating: A
Mark Garbin’s Review: Balvenie’s core product range ends with the 21-year Portwood. It carries over the same iconic aroma adding port’s sugared tinge derived from barrels that stored the rich wine for over three decades.
The silky yet full sense in the mouth showcases the distiller’s art where no lone facet dominates and each attribute is in concord.
Relish this beauty neat before a meal or with a smooth Robusto as your reward for a week well worked.
The $250 retail price tag makes it expensive for those starting out, but the mature Enthusiast and Adventurer may find it for under $200 if they try.
| Aromas & Flavor Appeals to: | Optimal Client Type | Great For: |
| Subtlety Aficionado | Apprentice | Cocktails |
| Power Flavor Admirer | Enthusiast | Neat Before Dinner |
| Balanced Devotee | Adventurer | With Food |
| Uni-Directional Fan | Mountain Climber | Dessert or Afterwards |
| Chameleon Lover | Hedonist | With a Cigar (Light) |
Distiller.com: Dried red fruits, floral heather, nuts, and wood spices are some of what you’ll pick up on tasting. What really catches your eye, though (or rather, your mouth) is the sensuality of this whisky. Not just in a sweet, smoldering sensuality, but in the way the whisky feels in your mouth; and as it eases down your throat. Make sure to share with a loved (or liked) one. – Stephanie Moreno
The Whiskey Reviewer: 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.