Review #40 & 41: Balvenie 17 and Balvenie 14 Peat Week

Balvenie DoubleWood 17

Speyside - 17 Years - Chill Filtered (Probably) - Color added (Probably) - Sample (Price at the local, $160) - 43%

Color - amontillado sherry

Nose - Figs, bananas, vanilla, oak

Taste - Oak, figs, baking spice, dried fruit

Finish - Medium Long - Vanilla, honey, wood, hints of citrus zest

Overall - 5.5 - The nose is really delightful, big but light, balanced, interesting. The palate is bigger than you would think and has a nice balanced flavor. The finish was much longer than I expected. It seemed on the first sip to drop but then held on. On the second sip it was in for the long haul. This is a very nice, balanced and approachable whisky. While I don't think I would buy myself a bottle, this is the perfect nice gift whisky that I can give to anybody and they will enjoy.

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Balvenie 14 Peat Weak

Speyside - 14 Years - NCF - Color added (Probably) - Sample ($100 at the local) - 48.3%

Color - Amber

Nose - First sniff is smoke. Then banana and vanilla

Taste - Toffee, vanilla, oak, dried fruit

Finish - Medium Long - Smoke and vanilla cream puffs

Overall - 7.5 - Wow, this was nice. I am a little suspicious of peated whisky outside of Islay but this one does it right. The nose seems to shift between smoke and vanilla banana and a combination of the two. The mouthfeel on this is nice, coating and balanced. The finish actually marries the smoke and the sweet and comes up big. I am a fan of this one.

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Rating system is price influenced as it is based on my shopping decisions when buying a bottle.

10 Best in Show

9 Great Dram for Special Occasions

8 Worthy of consistent spot in my collection

7 Worth picking up a bottle if in the mood

6 I would buy a bottle if it went on sale

5 I would drink it happily if offered

4 I would drink it if offered on the rocks

3 Maybe some soda will make this potable

2 I'll Pass

1 Toilet cleaner

Inclusive Ratings

Overall 6.1