Tasting notes

The Balvenie 12 Years Doublewood

The Balvenie DoubleWood 12 years is the youngest bottling from Balvenie's Core Range with an age statement. This malt matures in ex-bourbon casks and receives a subsequent post-maturation in ex-Oloroso sherry casks.The Balvenie distillery is located on the Speyside in Dufftown. It dedicates itself to the traditional production of Single Malts and is one of the few distilleries that still dries their (on-site grown) barley on its own malting floors.

The panel

Marcel
84
Sascha
81

Mean 82.5 · spread 3

Value for money 3/5

Distillery
The Balvenie
Type
Single Malt
Region
Speyside
Country
Scotland
Age
12 years
Strength
40% ABV
Character
delicate

Tasting

Nose

The 12 years Whisky opens with the sweetness of fresh blossom honey. The malt smells extremely juicy with malty vanilla notes. Behind the delicate sweetness, the bouquet is coated by a pleasant spicy sherry note.

Palate

Fittingly, it presents buttery soft and mild on the tongue. We perceive nutty notes and a hint of cinnamon. Likewise, an association of freshly caramelized crème brûlée imposes itself. Here, too, the sweet fresh aromas of sherry and the spiciness of European oak wrap the flavour.

Finish

The finish of the single malt is medium in length. As before, a wonderful marriage of fresh sweet flavors with spicy oak tones.

Verdicts

Marcel

A truly delicious Speysider that’s simply enjoyable with its sweet honey notes and spicy hints of sherry. The creamy texture and subtle caramel undertones invite relaxed sipping – this is exactly how a 12-years DoubleWood should taste. For whisky fans who appreciate something straightforward yet full of character, this one’s a real winner.

Sascha

The Balvenie 12 Year DoubleWood presents a well-balanced interplay of vanilla, nutty notes, and subtle oak spice that clearly defines the single malt’s structure. The finishing maturation in sherry casks integrates harmoniously without overpowering, lending the Scotch a medium-length, elegant finish. A solid Speyside malt with clean cask maturation and a balanced aromatic profile.

What it is worth

No auction record for this distillery, so we cannot tell you what this bottle is worth. We would rather say that than guess.

Source

Tasting note and scores by WHISKY:EDITION — tasted by Marcel and Sascha, published 2022-10-16.