BALMENACH 17 ans 2008 Itinéraires Murray McDavid

Nose : fine, fresh. A multilayered medley of vanilla-infused, fruity (pineapple), herbaceous (hay), honey (acacia) and menthol notes, intertwined in a decidedly ‘Speyside’ feel. Allowed to breathe, wafts of porridge, liquorice, wax and iris trail off into voluptuous headiness lifted by a bracing, saline breeze.

Palate : lively, distinguished. Tangy (lemon zest, grapefruit) and juicy (pear, Golden Delicious), little by little the flavour palette eases into a harmony of liquorice, vanilla, gentian and spices (cinnamon, ginger), gradually becoming coated in a fine layer of powdered notes perfected by mouthwatering rice cake.

Overall : rich, concentrated. Elegant herbaceous and heavily infused notes (tobacco, sage) pave the way for a wave of springlike freshness. Simultaneously tropical (pineapple, banana), lemony and resinous, the retro-nasal olfaction here is a faithful rendering of the nose and palate, while the empty glass is an ode to this Balmenach‘s signature maltiness.