Spirit Name: The Balvenie DoubleWood 12 Year
Category: Scotch
Country: Scotland
Region: Speyside
ABV: 40% (But should be 43%)
Price range: 750ml $68.95 CDN
Nose: A little hot and spirity. Slightly earthiness surounds a core of American oak vanilla and ripe orchard fruits. A sherry kiss.
Taste: Good mouth feel improves with a few drops of water, gets creamier. Malty sweetness is almost candy sweet, but not to the point of cloying. Sherry influence comes on strong towards the conclusion. Wood in the form of cedar hides in the background and mingles with some earthy qualities. Not smokey in any way, more minerals and metallic vegetal qualities. Hard to pin down but pleasant enough. Nice spirit warmth coats all the way down. Typical Speyside fruits and honey vanillas hang about making it a nice experience.
Finish: Hot, spicy and long. Chest warming.
Would I buy it again: Oh ya, this will be a regular on my shelf.
Would I recommend it to a friend: Yes.
Worthy as a daily dram: Without doubt.
Collection worthy: Yes, its a must have Speysider.
Comments: I’ve always thought that The Balvenie looked the part of a classic single malt. Their packaging is relatively plain but still seems to say “I’m the real damn deal”. Thankfully, what’s in the glass can back up the classy presentation. This is a really nice dram anyway you cut it. Even if you aren’t a fan of sherried malts, this only has been “kissed” by the sometimes overpowering sugar sweetness from a sherry cask. It adds complexity without running roughshod over the whole thing. Here is what the carton has to say:
“The Balvenie DoubleWood is a 12 year old single malt which gains its distinctive character from being matured in two woods. Over its period of maturation it is transferred from a traditional oak whisky cask to a first fill European oak sherry cask. Each stage lends different qualities to the resulting single malt ~ the traditional casks soften and add character, whilst the sherry wood brings depth and fullness of flavour.”
Lets see what Ralfy has to say:
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