Nose: Honey, malt, sweet cereal, some dried red apples and orange peel - it's reminiscent of a muesli snack bar. There are oak notes but they are light and more like sawdust than old cask. There is also a minty presence that comes out as it rests, and a little toffee. The nose never gains great complexity but it is very well balanced and enjoyable. Palate: Soft arrival and a luscious texture, fruity and malty with a touch of gentle spice. Relaxed development with apricot, a little light honey, some trace vanilla and a touch of sweet weak black tea. Creamy but slightly dry. The more you taste it the more you become aware of the oloroso presence and the fact that the palate and finish are fundamentally of a sherried character, but the wine presence is never overt and this is nothing like a sherry-bomb. Finish: Medium. Fruity/malt notes fade into a pleasantly sweet aftertaste with trace flourishes of warm cinnamon, clove and orange. This is a lighter, crisper style of Balvenie than the 12 year Doublewood, and indeed most of the core range. The nose is very pleasant but the palate is superior and where the real personality resides. If you find the Doublewood a little too heavy on the caramel and sweet fruity notes this may well be more to your taste. It would be an over-simplification to say this is the Doublewood with additional oloroso cask maturation, but not entirely inaccurate. I've never had a bad Balvenie and this very pleasant expression carries on the tradition. 3% higher abv could be interesting, but might also make it less approachable for some palates. At 40% it can't take much water so if doing so just add a drop or two, but it's not really needed. This is fine as it is. The only issue I have is the price which at 150% the cost of the 12 year Doublewood is too high for my liking. However if you can find it on special it's a recommend buy. To misquote the late, great John Martyn "some whiskies are just plain good". "Good" : 83/100 (3.5 stars)