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The Balvenie 17yo Sherry Oak
Speyside Single Malt Whisky
43% abv
£60
$85(USD)
A few years ago Balvenie introduced a limited release 17yo that had been finished in casks that had previously held peaty Islay whisky called The Balvenie 17yo Islay Cask. Today, that bottling is highly collectible and it spawned a series of annually released 17yo expressions from malt master David Stewart and his long-serving apprentice Brian Kinsman. We have seen Islay Cask, New Wood, New Oak, Sherry Oak, and this year, The Balvenie Rum Cask 17yo (to be tasted on the next post).
This release spent all of its 17 years maturation in European oak casks that used to hold oloroso, the dark, glycerine-rich "scented" Spanish sherry. This presents a rare opportunity as most Balvenies contain significant percentages of American oak and only rare single casks like Cask 191 (50 year old and £6000 per bottle) show The Balvenie under full sherry influence.
DISCLAIMER: Please let it be known that I currently work for William Grant and Sons family-owned Scottish distilling company that owns The Balvenie distillery. If you choose to take my tasting notes as bullshit and Dr. Whisky has not, after 311 Malt Missions, earned your trust as a source of honest presentations of whiskies good and less good, then so be it. But I do vow to maintain objectivity and am under no constraints from my current employers with regards to how to present their whiskies. As a result are the listed impressions are my own, as always.
For distillery info and to see all Balvenies had on the mission, click HERE.
TASTING NOTES:
Rich and sweet with heavy sherry influence. Peppery like shiraz. Spicy like coffee. Some oysert sauce and wax. Very fruity, jammy, and brilliantly oaky.
Less sherried than expected, more honey and vanilla creme at first, then explodes with toasted nuttiness, rich fruit and an array of spice including aniseed and cloves. Mmm, dark chocolate and candied cherries. Espresso. Flavours linger without much development beyond their initial statements, but fortunately that complex array is deep and rich from the beginning.
SUMMARY:
A very unique Balvenie and as close to Macallan or Glenfarclas' sherried style that the distillery gets. Although it is not a drop I personally reach for regularly, those who like it (ie. sherry cask lovers) will like it a lot. It sold out rapidly in certain countries and is highly sought after by many, a phenomenon that will only increase in time as the few remaining cases get snatched up. It has all the sherry you could want while maintaining a balance of the Balvenie's core flavours and the rich oakiness one would expect from 100% maturation in sherry casks. Kristin points out that the flavour profile suggests evening consumption rather than breakfast dramming. Absolutely, but don't let me stop you!
Malt Mission #311
Malt Mission #313Malt Mission #314Malt Mission #315
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Glendronach 15yo
Highland Single Malt Whisky
40% abv
£55
This is a 'lost bottle' that has been discontinued, but it is well suited to be my 30th dram in this malt mission as it is one of the few whiskies that has come and gone during what I would call my whisky-interested-lifetime, AND it was one of the whiskies I shared with folks at the first whisky tasting I ever held in Toronto back in 2003.
Responsible for a lot of the creamy sherry flavour found in Teacher's blended whisky, Glendronach doesn't have the highest profile as a single malt, but does have several interesting features that make it a distillery of note.
At its peak, Glendronach was the highest duty-paying in the Highlands. They used coal-fired stills until 2005 and were the last distillery to do so. Abandoning the coal firing method was done, in large part, to comply with EU regulations on burning coal. So some distilleries went over to other ways of direct-firing, but Glendronach, at the time owned (some say mis-managed) by Allied, installed steam coils. NOT THAT THERE IS ANYTHING WRONG WITH THAT. Many people, Charlie Maclean to name just one, are convinced that the loss of this type of direct firing has permantely changed the character of Scottish whisky. Glendronach also used to malt their own barley(til 1996) and the floors are still intact. They get unpeated barley shipped in for the current whisky being produced at the distillery which is quite unlike what Glendronach used to use. This is quite a smoky whisky (see below) and along with Ardmore, was responsible for the smoky character found in Teachers (more info on Monday when I start the week with Teachers).
Since I caught the whisky bug, this distillery has come back into production and released a string of different bottlings making it hard to develop any sort of loyal following. Many people were very fond of this bottling and its loss is mourned across the world (and web).
TASTING NOTES:
Suprisingly soft impressions, but rich. Cherries and cherry sweets. Light, somehow. No way this is from first-fill sherry butts. Sweetness of sherry in the middle, though, dried apples, raisins, caramel and Port wine. Grilled cheese sandwich. Oak. Boiled brown rice. A sweet peat smoke impression too. Fruity bitterness like the white part of a strawberry.
Thick and impressions come short and quick... Maple sweetness. Turns quite smoky, like cigar smoke. This continues to an ashtray. Orange zest in vermouth. Burnt sugar, butter, homemade toffee. Cherry muffins. Still smoky and toasted oak lingers with a bit of raisiny sweetness.
SUMMARY:
Probably would do well as a cologne for men, sweet, citric, and fleshy but rugged, musky, and smoky. Overall not exactly my thing, but quite interesting in the fact that it is matured in 100% sherry casks and isnt killed with the typical flavours. Unique mix of characteristics. Unlike any other whisky I have had in the past 30 drams/days. Balanced in that the barley is able to stand up to the sherry and oak with its light peatiness and the sherry itself is dry and not overpowering. Drink it if you have it, but I wouldnt spend the current asking price if and when you find it.
Malt Mission #26
Malt Mission #27
Malt Mission #28
Malt Mission #29
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