Balvenie 12 Year Old DoubleWood 750 ml

Balvenie DoubleWood is aged in two kinds of oak casks! It was first matured in refill American oak casks before it was treated to a finish in first-fill European oak Oloroso sherry butts for an additional nine months. The expression was launched in 1993 and has become a somewhat iconic whiskey. Even at 12 years old, this rich and complex dram is an excellent example of what the Balvenie distillery can craft. 40% ABV.

Nose: Supple nuttiness intertwined with spices and honeyed sultanas and grapes. Hugely inviting.

Palate: Sweet with good body. The bourbon characters develop gentle spice with a bit of vanilla, a hint of balancing peat lurking quietly in the substrata. Dried fruit, combined with nuts, nutmeg, and cinnamon, back into the bourbon notes, so well integrated.

Finish: Spicy, slightly drying, still sweet.

Overall: A classic, always a pleasure to revisit. This is a single malt with the ability to convert a non-whisky drinker with its deliciousness.