Ballantine’s 17yo (43%, OB, +/-2011)

A blended ‘Very Old’ scotch whisky and Jim Murray’s Scotch Whisky of the Year in the 2011 Whisky Bible. Now, here at Whisky Intelligence World Headquarters we are well acquainted with Ballantine’s 17yo but have never completed an official tasting note (but it’s highly unlikely this sample and Jim Murray’s are from the same batch) so…on the nose it presents rather delicately at first but a small amount of time in the glass allows it to open up. There is some honey notes, very slight hints of green grass followed by some delicate peat smoke, fruit and cereal notes, biscuits and perhaps some light floral notes but nothing dramatic and the later only adds to the collection of aromas. A little time hand warming brings worth more of the same but intensified; it’s very, very good. The taste is warming, honeyed and then the fruit and peat smoke arrive back by some really nice grains whisky notes. All very pleasant. A really fantastic inter play between the grain, the fruit, the honey notes and the peat smoke. Sensational stuff. The finish is malty and honeyed along with the fruit and a little less peat smoke but the malt notes are a little bigger on the finish. Still all very good with a long finish that becomes active and chewy are a minute.

A really nice dram, a good start to an evening to wake up the taste buds.

C$78 in some markets, more in many others.

Score 89 points.

Ballantine's 17 Year Old