The Balvenie - 17yo peated cask

What an exciting day!!! The Good people at Balvenie distillery sent 10cl sample bottle of their new product for me: The Balvenie 17yo peated cask. I feel so lucky to be among the first to get taste of this innovative Whisky.

This is what happened: The master distiller David Steward bought some heavily peated barley from local producer. Made spirit out of it and stored it in oak casks. After few years the liquid was transferred to another set of casks. And, here is the interesting thing, usually smoky flavour of whisky comes at the start of proceedings. What Mr. Stewart and his team did next was that they took batch of 17yo. Balvenie, filled the empty casks that had previously had that heavily peated spirit. They left the Whisky there for few months. And end product was highly unusual but excellent tasting Balvenie Whisky.

The Whisky I have been tasting today still has the distinctive honeyd sweetness of Balvennie but with added punch of smoky oak from the casks it was finished in. It is one of those that one would feel proud to offer to a good friend. Its unassuming and once you have it in your mouth there is really no need to talk about it as the taste is to such perfection that it explains itself. Balanced harmony is overwhelming.

You know the feeling when you are with someone you just met and it feels like you two have known each other for years. Well, that's how drinking this feels. I have only positive things to say about the product. Truly recommended.

NOTES:

Nose: Very balanced, nothing really over powering. Peaty smokiness is definitely coming in first but quite equal to, floral, honey, species and subtle hints of liquorish, green grass.

Taste: Smokey oak is dominant at start, very sweet caramel and honey finish with hints of spice and nuttiness at end.