Tun 1509 is one of The Balvenie's traditional oak marrying vessels.

Tasting notes Serge Valentin: 90 points (WhiskyFun.com)

This baby replaces the famous - and excellent – inceptions of Tun 1401. Less sherry, more bourbon, many more bottles, possibly a younger average age (I’m not sure at all)… and the same price or more. Why aren’t we surprised.

Colour: amber.

Nose: same price and same quality, this is embarrassingly successful yet again. Beehive, honey, wax, overripe apples and mangos, that kind of thing. Then old amoroso, heather honey, rose jelly, blood oranges, juicy sultanas, pollen… Gets more and more tertiary after two minutes, with cigars, pu-erh tea, earth after a summer rain. Disappointingly superb. I’d love to find bad things to write about these ‘Tuns’. Help me!

Mouth: I’m afraid it works again. I’m highly disappointed. I’m about to write a letter to the Company. No, seriously, it’s a pretty perfect pack, and even if there’s a wee bit of drying oakiness/spiciness in the background, all the rest is singing loud and clear, with body and complexity. Oranges, honey, tobacco, coffee, mango chutney, a touch of ginger and even tonic water, pink grapefruits… All perfect. Almost forgot to mention ripe plums.

Finish: long, with more oranges, stewed rhubarb and clove. Christmas is around the corner (hey?)

Comments: the ‘good’ NAS way, IMHO. They’ve done it again, even if some batches of Tun 1401 may have been a little more ‘rich and wide’, and better polished. They could try to do a ‘Glenfiddich Tun’, with a bit of sherry (S., please!)