What's in a name? Ballantines 17 Year Old whisky is called whisky because it's produced in Scotland. Were it from America it would be spelled Ballantines 17 Year Old whiskey, rather than whisky.
Nose: Feinty. Smoke and a touch of mochaccino. There are some notes of leather and Madeira with a little chocolate. Palate: Balanced. There are notes of cut herbs and a defined vegetal character. Fresh citrus and fudge. Touch of peat smoke. Finish: Fruit, becomes dry.
The Master of Malt
Ballantine's 17yr
N:Hard vanillas from the grains, with a layer of soft lemon bubbling underneath. T: Sweet honey entrance with spices biulind towards the middle. Oak makes itself known at the end for a medium-dry finish. Excellent ballance and some extra zingyness present from the extra 3% above standard ABV but a little short on complexity. Overall very enjoyable! Mr. K
NK
As a top notch premium blend, this is the finest example of whisky crafting. Hints of citrus, vanilla,chocolate and peat. Sweet and layered with flavours that unfold gently. A personal favourite for those special occasions.
Best Whisky I've tasted
There's a lot of controvery regarding this whisky's winning of the 2011 Whisky of the year, and I was concerned that it wouldn't live up to the hype. But let me tell you this is a massive whisky. I've recently been trying Ardbeg's range and was convinced that Uigeadail was unbeatable in terms of complexity, balance and beauty. But this is better. This is a new bench-mark for me, and I hope this year's bottling of Ardbeg 10 can compare.