Balvenie 12 Years Double Wood

This Balvenie was matured in old sherry and bourbon casks. It makes this scotch interesting but also mild. The orange flavour and a deep sweetness make it a true gem among malt whiskies.

This Balvenie was matured in old sherry and bourbon casks. It makes this scotch interesting but also mild. The orange flavour and a deep sweetness make it a true gem among malt whiskies.

Details about this bottle Edit
566
The Balvenie
Scotland, Speyside
Single Malt Whisky
12 Years
40%
0.7 l
Original bottling
Bourbon
Sherry
Chill filtration - With Artifical colouring - With
Average tasting notes Tasting notes
Calculated from 494 Tasting Notes
i
Nosing
Sweet:
Sweet:
Sherry:
Sherry:
Fruit:
Fruit:
Vanilla:
Vanilla:
Zitrus:
Zitrus:
Orange:
Orange:
Honey:
Honey:
Oak:
Oak:
Spices:
Nuts:
Caramel:
Caramel:
Nuts:
Spices:
Cinnamon:
Cinnamon:
Malt:
Malt:
Peat Smoke:
Apple:
Apple:
Lemon:
Lemon:
Herbs:
Alcohol:
Alcohol:
Herbs:
Pear:
Dried Fruit:
Dried Fruit:
Pear:
Peach:
Peach:
Cherry:
Almonds:
Almonds:
Cherry:
Chocolate:
Green Apple:
Peat Smoke:
Green Apple:
Chocolate:
Raisin:
Walnut:
Berries:
Mint:
Oil:
Floral:
Floral:
Berries:
Oil:
Raisin:
Walnut:
Mint:
Herb:
Barley:
Herb:
Pineapple:
Tropical Fruit:
Blackberry:
Lime:
Heather:
Banana:
Barley:
Pineapple:
Lime:
Heather:
Blackberry:
Banana:
Tropical Fruit:
Grapefruit:
Strawberry:
Hazelnut:
Cake:
Clove:
Melon:
Pepper:
Tobacco:
Melon:
Grapefruit:
Clove:
Hay:
Cake:
Strawberry:
Grape:
Grass:
Grass:
Hazelnut:
Grape:
Hay:
Leather:
Pepper:
Tobacco:
Leather:
Tasting
Sweet:
Sweet:
Sherry:
Sherry:
Nuts:
Fruit:
Nuts:
Oak:
Oak:
Fruit:
Spices:
Honey:
Honey:
Vanilla:
Vanilla:
Spices:
Zitrus:
Zitrus:
Orange:
Orange:
Oil:
Oil:
Caramel:
Caramel:
Cinnamon:
Cinnamon:
Malt:
Malt:
Chocolate:
Chocolate:
Peat Smoke:
Herb:
Herb:
Herbs:
Herbs:
Dark Chocolate:
Alcohol:
Alcohol:
Peat Smoke:
Dark Chocolate:
Pear:
Pear:
Pepper:
Dried Fruit:
Pepper:
Dried Fruit:
Berries:
Raisin:
Chili:
Chili:
Berries:
Raisin:
Almonds:
Peach:
Peach:
Almonds:
Apple:
Grapefruit:
Apple:
Grapefruit:
Heather:
Date:
Heather:
Date:
Coffee:
Walnut:
Floral:
Banana:
Walnut:
Floral:
Coffee:
Banana:
Nutmeg:
Fig:
Tropical Fruit:
Wheat:
Cake:
Pineapple:
Tropical Fruit:
Cake:
Ginger:
Fig:
Cherry:
Rye:
Lime:
Plum:
Tobacco:
Green Apple:
Lime:
Tobacco:
Plum:
Wheat:
Pineapple:
Ginger:
Nutmeg:
Green Apple:
Cherry:
Rye:
Finish
Oak:
Oak:
Sweet:
Sweet:
Spices:
Nuts:
Spices:
Sherry:
Sherry:
Fruit:
Nuts:
Fruit:
Malt:
Malt:
Vanilla:
Vanilla:
Oil:
Oil:
Zitrus:
Zitrus:
Honey:
Honey:
Herb:
Herb:
Peat Smoke:
Orange:
Orange:
Cinnamon:
Cinnamon:
Chocolate:
Chocolate:
Dark Chocolate:
Dark Chocolate:
Alcohol:
Alcohol:
Caramel:
Peat Smoke:
Caramel:
Almonds:
Almonds:
Pepper:
Hazelnut:
Hazelnut:
Pepper:
Apple:
Apple:
Chili:
Chili:
Raisin:
Raisin:
Coffee:
Tobacco:
Tobacco:
Coffee:
Pear:
Cake:
Dried Fruit:
Pear:
Cake:
Herbs:
Dried Fruit:
Cherry:
Date:
Bonfire Smoke:
Nutmeg:
Grapefruit:
Berries:
Mint:
Herbs:
Grape:
Lemon:
Clove:
Fig:
Banana:
Banana:
Heather:
Clove:
Fig:
Grapefruit:
Lemon:
Cherry:
Bonfire Smoke:
Nutmeg:
Floral:
Date:
Grape:
Green Apple:
Heather:
Walnut:
Berries:
Green Apple:
Walnut:
Floral:
Mint:

Tasting Video

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Quality rating of this bottle

4.0 Rate
988
Tasting Notes 494

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02. Oct 2021
08. Jun 2016
21. Sep 2015
20. Feb 2011
10. Nov 2016
The Balvenie range has a rather good reputation, as being of higher quality than the mass-produced Glenfiddich. Its 12-year-old 'Double Wood' expression greets the nose with juicy oranges, creamy vanilla and hints of marzipan - very harmonic and distinctly elegant. Tastewise, the arrival builds up steady and spicy before turning honey sweet and nutty. Altogether, it appears slightly spirity and thin (too low ABV). The finish is swift with mild bitterness, milk chocolate and cinnamon. A decent but not overly exciting Single Malt that requires a higher bottling strength.
RATING: 3.4/5.0 ≙ 85 pts
24. Jun 2014
dcatinella
19. Mar 2016
Nosing:

Taste: Plum Chocolate Caramel Vanilla Oak

Finish:

Comment:
TheGreatMothra
28. Nov 2018
Nosing: Sherry Orange Nuts Cinnamon
Immediate sherry hit. Orange blossom, nuts and cinnamon.

Taste: Sherry Spices Zitrus
Medium sweet arrival. Sherry wood and sweet spices. More of that citrussy component.

Finish: Spices
Medium length and follows on the flavour profile of the palate.

Comment:
I came back to this whisky after a long break from trying it. I seem to remember that it didn't impress me much at the time. I get the feeling however that it has changed for the better over time. The sherry influence on this is significantly stronger than I remember. The closest thing I can equate it to is Bunnahabhain 12. It has that same orange influence from the sherry in the nose and palate. The finish isn't the most interesting, but it fits well and doesn't feel out of place. I'd say this is a really solid release, an excellent example of what can be achieved with multi cask maturation.
ChristianG
19. Jun 2022
27. Dec 2022