Balvenie The Week of Peat 17 Year

*My apologies in advance, my "reviews" here are typically informal notes taken while drinking rather than a structured assessment, but this one became exceptionally unstructured." Been wanting this for far too long. Approximately $100 in the UK, coming in at an astonishing 49.4% ABV, which is close to Cask Strength from Balvenie. Nose - I'll just begin by stating that initially, it's quite lacking. After a solid 15 minutes in the glass, oily glue was essentially what I detected. A hint of an earthy, clearly peated, element was present as well. It's a more earthy peat than, say, an Islay, but clearly, this is a heavily peated spirit. A few gentle swirls followed by a rush of tart fruits, potent alcohol, a very hard-to-place and generic smoke (think Caol Ila), and a good vanilla punch. So far, it's constantly shifting and quite intriguing. I'd say, not incredibly inviting. With more time, I'm detecting a distinct honey note, which is improving its standing. Taste - A true flavor explosion here. That higher ABV is truly showcasing its intensity of flavor. The overall malt character is a bit sour, which is unusual for Balvenie. Giving way to lighter fruit notes. The main event, however, is the smoke and this very clean, muddy peat note. Your mouth is left with alcoholic, clean peat smoke. I really want to compare this to a standard 14-year-old; all I have open is a 2003, and that's just too exceptional to be a fair comparison. But for the sake of experimentation, we must compare what we have. The 2003 is quite similar but distinctly different. More minerality. Sweeter initially but more bitter on the finish. The smoke is more "obvious" in that it's perhaps more of a wood smoke. The Balvenie sweetness is amplified. The 17-year has the longer finish. The smoke notes truly peak on the finish, while the smoke is mid-palate on the 14-year. The finish on the 17-year is ten times longer; we're not even in the same league here. But in contrast, the initial arrival is softer, lighter, more closed off, and simpler. The 17-year is a roller coaster climbing the hill for an insanely fast descent. The 14-year is balanced, with it becoming quite intense quickly and just holding on and lingering. Considering the price point is roughly the same for the 14-year as the 17-year in the US versus the UK. They are truly worth acquiring both, as you're not spending significantly more for the older expression at all. I'd estimate in the US it would be $100 versus $150, but who knows with US pricing these days. Final thoughts. Perhaps I'm maturing with time, or maybe the Greek yogurt I consumed an hour ago is affecting my palate. Either way, I believe my appreciation for these whiskies has diminished somewhat. What used to be this perfectly sweet and balanced whisky now seems a bit sharp, a bit acidic, and frankly, a touch bitter. It's still a lovely whisky, don't get me wrong. But I'm finding myself evolving, and oddly, I'm becoming a bigger fan of bourbon and more traditional younger peated expressions. Anyway, it seems the niche that this and the Macallan Classic Cut once occupied was for outstanding whiskies. Now the Classic Cut is almost undrinkable, and this is just a very pleasant change of pace, but not something with lasting appeal. 3.5 stars, and I would adjust my prior scores down by a quarter point each based on this assessment. This is an outstanding value purchase, and I might very well argue it's the best value I've encountered in 2023... You know what? I forgot about water! Okay, with water – I'm detecting lemon-lime and smoke that precisely mirrors the fruitiness of Laphroaig and the peat of Springbank! That's an incredible characteristic! No need to adjust my previous score, but water certainly provides a nice change. It did dry out the oils and make it slightly sharper on the palate. Not unpleasant, just different. Anyway – this is a definite buy if you can get it for under £130 from the UK. So make this your next "buddy bottle," and you'll be thrilled. I wouldn't place an order solely for this. All in all, a great expression from this distillery, but this has convinced me against spending the premium for the 19-year expression. Age isn't steering this in the direction I had hoped. Final note – I used PayPal to purchase this, so the exchange rate was pretty unfavorable. £119 and change was the total cost. A 100% satisfying purchase.

Having fallen hard for the Week of Peat 14 year, I've grown fond of this Balvenie range. Upon spotting a 17 year bottling at my go-to local store, I purchased it without hesitation. The aroma is notably less smoky than the 14 year. In fact, the scent of this whisky is far less smoky than most peated whiskies I've encountered, whether blended or single malt. It's still present, like a low mist around sweet honey and a hint of salty sea spray. The end of the aroma sweetens with those Danish butter cookies, but only briefly. The initial taste brings vanilla and subtle baking spices. As the flavor progresses, that spicy tingle mellows but remains in the background. Yes, the peat smoke is there, but it's so faint it could almost be mistaken for a non-peated whisky. A buttery sweetness reappears from the nose, this time as butterscotch and cream, then quickly vanishes as the baking spice returns full force, leading into the finish. The finish of this whiskey is rich with tannic oak and sweetness. With the peat smoke almost gone, the finish gets a burst of tart and sweet raspberries before being swept away by a rolling wave of tannins, leaving a slightly powdery mouthfeel. Think: dark cocoa powder. That harmonious blend of sweet and bitter fades away with that familiar baking spice from before. Remarkable. This is a stunning whisky. However, be warned – if you're seeking abundant peat smoke, the kind that stings your eyes and burns your nose, this isn't the dram for you. I'd even suggest this could be the peated whisky of choice for those not yet accustomed to peated whisky. Its gentleness introduces you to the category while offering beautiful complexity and palate-pleasing sweetness. It's just a shame the price is quite steep.

This is incredibly enjoyable to sip. Peated Balvenie is so good, they should consider having peat months. Or years.