Whisky Tastings / Review: Ballantine's 17 Year Old & 21 Year Old Blended Scotch Whisky Video Review

Ballantine’s 17 Year Old blend, a stunner from one of the biggest brands in Europe and across this globe, this is a brilliant malt that should be key to your collection.

The Blend

Ballantine’s has core range that consists of a really great range of expressions.

Taking a closer look at their Ballantine's 17 Year Old, we can see just why they are so popular.

This dram is packed with flavour and opens with a nose of sweet caramel, vanilla and wooded notes.

There is also a delicate smoky note that wafts through and mingles really well with the sweeter notes. It is dull and reassuring, giving the brighter flavours a backboard to bounce off.

The palate is elegantly sweet. Caramel, vanilla and big notes of honey take over. These give it a smooth and mellow mouth feel as well.

The honey is earthy and thick, with a really lovely orchard flavour to it. it ties in well with oak flavours and a little hint of spice that also appears.

There is a dash of cinnamon and nutmeg that combine everything together and give a lovely warming sensation to the smoke.

The finish is long and lingering with caramel and smoke.

This is an excellent expression from a well known and well loved brand. You should have it in your drinks cabinet as a staple of the blended genre.

Part of their core range, the Ballantine’s 21 Year Old is a shining example of just what they can do with their blend.

Matured mostly in European oak casks, this blend has a rich and elegant flavour profile, with lots of complexity.

It begins with a fruity nose, with oranges, apples, peaches and apricots, all with a fresh, juicy flavour.

There is an exotic spiciness of cardamom and a hint of turmeric, giving it a nice heat and really bringing out the sweeter, tangier notes of the fruit.

It has a soft hint of charred oak and little bit of smoke.

The palate is deep and earthy, with summer berries and acacia honey. The mouth feel is soft and smooth, with an easy-going texture.

Liquorice and more spices also appear, further adding to the spicy notes. It also has a gentle nutty flavour, with lots of sweetness to add a bit of depth.

The finish is bold and sweet, with a lasting waft of smoke and a handful of chewy fruit flavours.

This is a great malt from a fantastic brand, definitely one to try if you haven’t already!

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Ballantine's 17 Year Old: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Ballantines-...
Ballantine's 21 Year Old: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Ballantines-...

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Review on the website:
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