The Balvenie 17 year old Islay Cask
Review by The Balvenie
- Nose
Remarkably smoky aroma: lingering and soft, but also with some sweetness. Evokes thoughts of steam trains and garden bonfires. Some leafy, ferny, notes.
- Palate
Again, soft, with some of the same smoky sweetness. Like sugar being caramelised. A touch of candied orange peel. Lemon. Bread-and-butter pudding.
- Finish
The interplay of sweetness and smokiness finally melds into a fragrant, soothing, afterglow.
- Note
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In the making of The Balvenie IslayCask, David Stewart selected Balvenie single malt which had matured in traditional oak casks for at least 17 years and transferred it into 94 casks which had previously held Islay single malt. After six months he felt the casks had imparted the desired delicate amount of peaty notes, typical of Islay, whilst retaining the distinctively honeyed character of The Balvenie.