Balvenie 17 Year Old 'SherryOak'

[Wave]

With all of the Balvenie fans on the board I was wondering if anyone has tasted the new 17 Year Old 'SherryOak' yet?

http://www.royalmilewhiskies.com/produc ... 0000035810

Just wondering how many bottles to buy.


Cheers!

[jimidrammer]

Put on the table this Christmas eve:

Name: Balvenie 17yo Sherry Oak Limited Edition 43% abv 100% Oloroso Sherry Casks

Region: Speyside

Color: Honey amber

Nose: Honeycomb, spice, oak, Sherry, cigar box, dark fruits (figs, raisins, prunes), vanilla, wood char Bourbon note, hint of lemon tart

Palate: Strong oak up front, lightly sweet/spicy middle, nutty almond skins back note, bitter dry spice afterthought

Body: Rounded, firm in the clutch

Finish: Full, spices takes the lead for the long ride home

Notes: Not nearly as sweet as any other Balvenie. I kind of like the contrast, but it veers off the beaten path a bit too far. The Sherry takes over to the detriment of this Speysiders house character and leaves the whole somewhat unbalanced. With a splash of water: the hodgepodge of assorted aromas is pleasant enough with an earthy/floral theme; the taste fans out to quite the juicy drinkable dram. I like how water puts into balance what was lacking without.

Quote: Oh the shark bites...

Score: 85

Overall, I like Balvenie at this age and all the 17's they've released that I've tried (New Wood, New Oak, Sherry Oak) have an interesting individuality, so I say keep it up.

[Wave]

Thanks for those extensive notes jimidrammer! Sounds like it's worthy for tasting. It's available through K&L Wine Merchants and I'll probably get a couple bottles (1 to drink 1 to save of course!).


Cheers!

[wildgeneral]

Just found this locally & now am questioning if I should open it? With a limited release (~ 1900 bottles from what I've read) but lukewarm reviews, I'm not sure...

Opinions? [Likewise, other opinions of the whisky itself?]