Ballantine's 17 Year

“Fresh and light” whisky, which is really good on any occasion, even for dining instead of wine! On the nose I feel a fruit salad and strong vanilla. On the palate vanilla, creme brulé, figs, even marzipan. Oily whiskey, which leaves a pleasant spicy touch on the tongue. Citrus finish, slightly bitter, very balanced. An excellent whiskey, but which I personally did not find phenomenal like the great Jim Murray, who has a real passion for this product! De gustobus! _______________________________________________________________________________ Whisky “fresco e leggero”, che va bene davvero in ogni occasione, anche per pasteggiare al posto del vino! Al naso sento una macedonia di frutta e forte vaniglia. Al palato vaniglia, creme brulé, fichi, anche marzapane. Whisky oleoso, che lascia una piacevole punta piccante sulla lingua. Finale agli agrumi, leggermente amarognolo, molto bilanciato. Un whisky ottimo, ma che personalmente non ho trovato fenomenale come invece il sommo Jim Murray, che ha una vera passione per questo prodotto! De gustibus!

Smooth. But not complex taste.

ザスコッチ。と呼ばれるだけある。シングルモルトでは味わえないスムースさ、なめらかさ。

Nose: Soft, gentle and led by subtle wood aromas that remind me of cedarwood shavings. Malted barley, cereal, fresh and dried apple, a touch of brine and some grassy notes. You certainly smell grain whisky, but it's high quality. I get very little of the smoky note that is often mentioned. Palate: Silky-sweet, dulcet cereal arrival - very welcoming. There is nothing whatsoever confrontational about this palate. Orchard fruits appear in mid-palate balanced by a subtle salt note and a miniscule hint of spice. There is also a toffee/fudge presence and if you let this whisky sit for a while to open in the glass it becomes more obvious. However the immediate core of the palate is dilute black tea, and way in the distance there is some smoke, but it is vanishingly light. Finish: Short. Fades out into a generic grain whisky character, with the weak tea and some watery cereal being all that remain on the aftertaste. Whether or not you like this will depend entirely on whether you enjoy old-school blended scotch, because that is the profile here in spades. It is remarkably easy to drink and soft, dare I say "smooth", and at the risk of being outrageously politically incorrect it is a very "feminine" profile. Unlike the Ballantine's Finest and 12 year old blends (both of which I quite like) this is not crafted to be used as a mixer or diluted in any way - unless perhaps with just a dash of soda water. It is intended specifically for neat consumption and is made to be as agreeable and accommodating as possible. This is a whisky that even non-whisky drinkers will enjoy. It is similar to Haig Gold Label and in common with that expression it has an intentionally muted malt presence and a dependence on good quality, soft grain whisky. If this sounds like the sort of thing you like then you will certainly enjoy this whisky. However if you crave sharply defined, highly-lit flavours and aromas then look elsewhere because this will seem watery. I'm enjoying this bottle, which I picked up on special at about 2/3 normal price (the price given below is the normal retail) but even at that discount I probably wouldn't bother buying it again. "Above Average" : 82/100 (3.25 stars)