The Balvenie 17yo Sherry Oak

The Balvenie Sherry Oak  
Aged 17 years
Single Speyside malt Scotch whisky
43% alc/vol
$95

I picked this one up on sale for considerably less than the $95 sticker price, and a bargain it was, too!

“Sherry Oak.”  As if the Balvenie line weren’t sherried enough!  Well, play to your strengths, I suppose…

Maple syrup (in both flavor and texture) and brown sugar.  Vanilla in spades.  Creamy, thick, and smooth.  Warming and comfortable.

Yeah, I know, that’s not much in the way of tasting notes…to be honest, there were no surprises here.  If you’re at all familiar with Balvenie’s work, you’ll know exactly what to expect from a Balvenie called “Sherry Oak.”  And it delivers.  It’s a lovely drink, but I don’t know…heavily sherried Scotches are a dime a dozen, and there are several out there that are cheaper and no less satisfying.

JMR’s The Smokey Peaty One

Jon, Mark and Robbo's
The Smokey Peaty One
Vatted malt Scotch whisky
40% alc/vol
$26

Another dram from JMR, and this one’s just as lovely as The Rich Spicy One was.  Peat, obviously, and although I’m generally not fond of wood smoke in Scotch, the hint of it in this drink is not at all unpleasant.  Very rich and malty, with a bit of pet store.

…pet store??  Some spice and sweetness, nuttiness.  And, no, there it is again: pet store.  Not in a bad way, mind you, but it is certainly interesting!