Tastes

Much better than the regular Old no. 7. Much Richer, more complex, delicious when served neat. Great powerful aromas and flavors. Finish is smooth and lasting.

This is good for the price especially with 43% abv! I do get vanilla, milk chocolate and cinnamon. On the palate fruit, ginger with a good mouthfeel. Can seem a little medicinal and with some artificial sweetness. Finish is moderate and good with more peppery sweetness, oak, bitterness. Surprisingly good for the money. I serve this in a decanter and everyone always thinks I’m serving up something much more expensive.

This is good for the price especially with 43% abv! I do get vanilla, milk chocolate and cinnamon. On the palate fruit, ginger with a good mouthfeel. Can seem a little medicinal and with some artificial sweetness. Finish is moderate and good with more peppery sweetness, oak, bitterness. Surprisingly good for the money. I serve this in a decanter and everyone always thinks I’m serving up something much more expensive.

Watery mouthfeel, easy sipping with a moderate finish. Lacking complexity and flavor development at first, perhaps a higher abv would have helped. And the more I sip, the more I get artificial sweeter.

My overall favorite or is it? The flavors all come through with balance but yet there’s complexity as it develops on the palate. Good moderately long flavorful finish with no bitterness. This is not that viscous but does have a nice mouthfeel. There’s sherry of course, but easily taste spice and vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, orange. Really delicious and mouthwatering.

Bottled at 43% abv. I really appreciate and enjoy drinking this. The sherry, vanilla, orange, spicy richness and semi long finish is a true treat. Oily and full mouthfeel. I add a couple drops of water, then caramel, brown sugar warming spicy richness and smoke comes through. However, there’s a bitterness that lingers and builds up as you sip which, sometimes, can be annoying. All in all, Delicious.

Very similar to the 12 double wood, very similar. Main takeaway for me is this 17 has a slight drying and slightly shorter finish with a hint more of bitter oak. The vanilla, sherry and orange is there but doesn’t last as long. For the price, not worth buying over the 12 years old unless it’s a special gift which this is an excellent choice for gifting. For me, the overall enjoyment and value in The Balvenie Double Wood series is in the 12 years old version which I enjoy very much.

Great stuff (BevMo, floor 4, warehouse L) not as good as Even Williams sing barrel vintage, but still fantastic.