Balvenie 17 Year Old DoubleWood

I just want to say that I feel very bad for a giving a low score for this product because I'm a big Balvenie fan. I love the 12 Year Double Wood...I think the Balvenie Tun 1401 Batch 6 is stunning, etc...and I respect the master distiller, David Stewart, a lot. From my understanding, he was the guy who basically invented cask finishes and has been in the whisky business for over 50 years. So hats off to him for being a badass-and-a- half and inspiring other companies to experiment with cask finishes as well. I must add that I respect Balvenie as a whole because it is still family owned, and they don't need financial backing from a corporation to sell their products. So, yes, I respect them a lot!!!

When Balvenie first launched, David indicated that the company wanted to make scotch to gear towards women. As a result, Balvenie has the tendency to be light and on the sweet side.

The first time I took a sip of this, which was last month, I thought it was flat. I thought, "Hmm...Maybe it's because I sipped the Balvenie 30 Year first...and that was very flavorful. So, it's just bad to go from something robust to a lighter drink...It's like eating a chocolate cake and then biting into a strawberry. The strawberry just tastes super sour as a result of eating the chocolate cake."

Anyway, I sipped the Balvenie 17 Year again the other day and I had the same reaction. I was reminded of my sister laughing at me and saying, "You're like Mom--just so flat chested!" and all I could think was, "Aw dammit! I can't believe a slightly chubby 12-year-old boy has bigger boobs than me!" Then, I think of this drink and I think it's actually flatter than me. I know, this is probably a very offensive review...so sorry for that...but I had high hopes for this product because it's 17 years of age and it's roughly $100.

It's like going on a blind date and seeing someone really hot in front of you and then learning that after 2 seconds that this hot person is vapid and boring...like I'd actually have a more interesting dialogue between Siri from my i-Phone than the hot guy in front of me. That's what this drink is. It has nothing to offer and it's one-sided. The aroma is subtle, and the flavour doesn't go anywhere. It's just very light and bland. If I wanted something light, I'd douse vodka with water and call it a night. I tried to add a few drops of water to see if it would change, and it just tasted worst; it was just bitter with subtle hints of tropical fruit. I couldn't revive it in any way.

So, yuh....for it's price point, I don't think it's worth it. I'd buy it if it were $20. :/ Sorrrrry for that!

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