Balvenie DoubleWood 17 Year Old

Stupendous!

23rd November 2020

Great vintage;a drop of tap water brings it out.One for the lovers of the malt.
A sample is not enough to appreciate its quality.

22nd November 2020

Very nice! Crisp clean taste.

2nd November 2020

Best whiskey I’ve ever had!

3rd October 2020

My son-in-law does a scotch tasting every year with friends, with people bringing dozens of bottles of high end scotch. This was the winner.

4th August 2020

Years ago I had a bottle of the basic 12-year old Balvenie Doublewood, and I thought it was superb. So I thought I'd plump for for something a little older. It was strangely disappointing, though I am working away at it like a man and I will learn to like it better. I'm getting a lot of burnt sugar flavours from it. It may be something best saved til winter. Oddly enough my wife picked up the vanilla finish just from the empty glass.

18th July 2020

Truly enjoyed the dram, a must for those that enjoy the finer things in
Life. Outstanding.

25th June 2020

Without doubt the best thing I’ve had in a glass. If you like your whisky with a honeyed sweetness and notes of spice this is as good as it gets for the price. Absolutely no smoke or peat, velvety smooth and goes on for a long, long time. Brilliant stuff.

14th June 2020

I’m not sure if its right to give review based on 5cl bottle, but really want to do it...

I think nose is much better then 12yo, but there is luck of taste! It tastes bitter on arrival and then lots of wood spice kicking in, and that‘s it. Also it is very harsh for this age, even 12yo is not as bad. Finish is long and bitter.
So it is not great whisky overall, but this price tag make it even worse!

Very very big dislike for this one! Will never recommend! There is a lot of incredible whisky for this price!

8th June 2020

Like a pallet of colors on your tongue and for your mouth.

27th May 2020

This is seriously the best I’ve ever sipped! As a whisky lover I promise you it’s more than worth it’s weight in gold! It’s like Honey & Heaven on the tongue. So smooth, with delicious fruity after notes. NOT PEATY, NO SMOKE! Just so smooth. It’s that beautiful woman you’ve wanted all your life without all the drama!

20th May 2020

Love Love LOVE IT!! Its hard to stop at just one dram. This is like a warm hug from yer Gran in a glass. Nice oily texture with a sweet lingering finish of toasted marshmallow, caramel and baked figs. This is a wonderful nightcap with some 60% cacao chocolate and a nice domenican cigar.
Slainte to The Balvenie ✊😁

17th April 2020

Nearly perfect, rich and complex, once you start you don't want to stop with this one. Sweet and incredibly smooth finish, look for all kinds of brown sweets in the profile like toffee, caramel, heath bar, and a touch of salt at the end. Already planning on getting another bottle as this one lasted barely a week.

28th December 2019

A beautifully balanced whiskey... some people saying it's not worth the money over the 12yr but it really is! The 12 is great for the price where this is just a pleasure all round. I have whiskey at double this price and they rarely match it. I'd love to find another whiskey this good for this price. Well done Balvenie, a masterpiece indeed!

18th November 2019

I am mostly a bourbon person, but I bought a Balvenie sampler and this doublewood 17 year was one of the samples. All of the samples were good, but this one was the best scotch I have ever tasted. I had to go buy a whole bottle after that sample.

Not sure why the guy below with the low rating is complaining with such a low rating. If you knew that sherry casks impart a sweetness that you wouldn't like, why buy it? Seems kinda nutty that you are taking your buyer's remorse out on a fine scotch that you already indicated is not a style you like.

9th November 2019

I am a big fan on the 12yr balvenie and after my 3rd bottle thought I'd spend a little extra and get the 17 Year.

Overall its good. Has a deeper flavour to the 12year, even more smooth (if that's possible) and the finish is longer. So with all that, it's a solid 4/5. The price is fair for a 17year I think, but against the 12year it's very hard because that is a beautiful one and for value I honestly think your better getting the 12year. But if your happy spending a little extra, the 17 is a beautiful one

26th October 2019

Wonderful tasting single malt, one of the best I've ever had, it delivers on every front, Balvinie at its finest.

18th August 2019

Solid Whisky and also, so reasonable price.

16th August 2019

This is nice enough, but not worth extra cost over the 12 YO. A pleasant dram.

26th May 2019

Rough hard whiskey, not worth the price tag I'm afraid.

6th March 2019

Honey and silky with no rawness, a whisky to savour as long as can keep it in your mouth without the overwhelming urge to swallow...

15th December 2018

Given the price and its age, this has a harshness that I attribute to lower end whiskies.

15th December 2018

Tasting notes say warm acacia honey and green apples on the nose which is quite interesting as I got pear as I was drinking it last night. Great whisky! Smooth with that vanilla and honey finish. Caribbean Cask was my favorite Balvenie but this one might take the cake

3rd December 2018

This is a stunning 17 yr old, absolute nectar, lovely long velvety smooth finish, to be fair Balvenie always deliver, the 12 yr is a superb malt for its price and the 14 yr Caribbean Cask is one of the finest drams on the planet and I also have to agree with the previous reviewer about reviews should be screened for trolls, someone complaining about it being too watery, really!!!, maybe they forgot to add the whisky to the water, I have had the Glenfarclas 17 and this dram puts that one to shame, but then again everyone's palate is different. Balvenie is nectar of the gods!!!!

18th September 2018

This is a superb example of a classic Speysider with perfect sherry ageing. No surprises there, it's what you expect from Balvenie.
What I do find really surprising is some of the reviews below. Someone doesn't like it because its not heavily peated. FFS its a Speyside whisky, not an Islay! I wouldn't review a Laphroaig complaining its too smoky. Someone else complains it's 'watery'. Strewth. Shouldn't these reviews be screened for trolls and idiots? Otherwise it makes the whole review thing a bit meaningless.

8th September 2018

May not be everybody’s favourite but this is a superb scotch! Smooth and wonderful flavour. Classic!

3rd August 2018

A special dram. The WE description pretty much nails it. The extra five years does wonders for this scotch - it is far more approachable than the 12YO doublewood. The layered finish is spectacular. The favorite of my favorites. Priced well under the money at the price at which it’s available.

26th June 2018

A great classic dram for most occasions. i personally love the B12 DW in all its entirely, so having this matured for another 5 years takes the floral and oak flavor to a more pronounced level. overall good value for money and a choice bottle to bring to casual and formal occasions.

12th April 2018

As I’m sitting here drinking and comparing the B17 with the Mac 18, I am having a difficult time choosing which one I prefer. So I started reading some reviews, and most of them I agree with, however, there are some that disparage the B17 really bad. I cannot help but believe that they are not legitimate reviews, and they’re only trolls just trying to get a rise out of people. There is no way I can believe that someone would think that this scotch is watery. On the contrary, it has a very nice velvety palette. So, back to my review and comparison of the B 17 to the Mac 18, I favor the B 17 because I think it is more balanced. If you want a complete Sherry bomb, then mac 18 is it, but for me, I like balance of flavors, and the B-17 accomplishes that.

6th April 2018

Elegant and bursting with flavour! Unbelievable that people have given this whiskey a bad review!!! Are you serious? This is absolutely superb and a pleasure to drink. Makes me want to pour a glass just thinking about it!

11th March 2018

Absolutely fantastic!

5th March 2018

I have been sipping Balvenie 10 and 12 for 20 years, dozens of bottles. This is the best. If I knew an erudite word with more syllables that described "best," I would use it. A drop, a small sip, a liquid layer on the tongue, DoubleWood 17 is an extreme pleasure in my daily life. Dr. Henry

13th December 2017

Priced a bit higher than the 16 triple cask, 14 carribean rum cask, this Balvenie is also very similar. Vanilla, honey, mild sherry, low ABV.
However, this one is a bit complex. Layered - spiciness and fruitiness. Balvenie according to me is a bit overpriced for its age and ABV. 46-48% ABV could have helped in a bit more intensity.
Good whisky but I would not buy again.

11th December 2017

You'd get more flavours from licking an oak table!No flavour...no finish and totally forgettable...for nearly £90 on some websites!I will never buy Balvenie again...should have bought Glenfarclas 17 or Glengoyne 18 instead...great flavoured drams!Big difference between smooth and mellow and incipid and watery!Yuk!

28th November 2017

There aren't enough ooooo's in smooth

23rd November 2017

I 've been sampling five whiskies today. Arran 18, Auchentoshan 21, Bruichladdich 22, Glen Scotia Victoriana. This is the one that keep wanting more of.

The way the flavour develops on the palate is wondrous. Wave after delicious wave of chocolate, vanilla, anis, toffee, butterscotch, acacia honey. This has the longest (and most pleasant) finish of any whisky I've tried.

14th November 2017

Good whisky. Smells like wood and fruits. Tastes like wood, fruits, and toffee. A liquid sticky toffee pudding.

22nd October 2017

I've tasted many different kinds of whiskys 🥃 bourbons over the past few months and this one definitely tops the chart! Cheers!

27th July 2017

Heavenly taste,heavenly flavour 👍 a true big hitter in fine single malt whiskey.. :-)

8th July 2017

Wonderful wee dram.world class whisky,,

8th July 2017

The best Christmas present my husband bought me :-).

7th July 2017

Great scotch.

Worth the extra cash

20th June 2017

Absolutely delightfully whiskey oozes flavour..a world class big hitter, john martin up the balmain tigers

19th May 2017

I love the 21 Portwood! I've tried the 12 it's ok, the 15 is a little better, than I had the 17, as a matter of fact I'm having a glass now it's a great alternative for what I really love. The 21 is the nectar of the gods. I'm saving up for the 40!

14th April 2017

I'm not a scotch drinker. I'm a bourbon drinker. I've tried supposedly good scotch and still didn't like it ... until I tried Balvenie 17. This is a very fine whisky and I will now only drink Balvenie 17 or nothing.

8th April 2017

Taste like the nastiest shit one can possibly put in the mouth. Do justice to it by using this as disinfectant or mouth rinse.

8th February 2017

I am surprised by 1 star reviews. This is certainly not a 1 star whisky. This is a fantastic Speyside whisky. It is what it is. Don't expect smoke and peat from a Speyside. Do expect something a bit sweet and incredibly smooth. It's a fantastic whisky that is aged 17 years and finished in a sherry cask. If you don't like a sherry finish, don't buy it. If you want smoke or peat, don't buy a Speyside whisky. Expecting that is ignorant. If you enjoy Speyside whiskies with some sherry that is not overpowering this is fantastic.

1st January 2017

This is my third Balvenie, having had the 12 yo Doublewood and the 14 yo Carib Cask. This is definitely my favorite of the three. This is day 6 of my Scotch Whisky Advent Calendar and so far I am a happy sipper. Thanks, MoM!

7th December 2016

Balvenie 17 is the necter of the gods,it's heavenly!

24th October 2016

A previous bottle of the 17 was flat, I thought, not really surpassing the 12 in depth. But a recent bottle rocked. The nose is beautiful, with candy coated pear and vanilla and cotton candy. Opens on the palate into oranges and malty and winter spices. Dries out a bit but lingers. Wish the price would come down a bit, but the structure is tight.

20th September 2016

Coatline is thick and oily, legs thick and slow to run
Nose-very sweet, Orange then fruitcake and wood spices reflecting length of time in cask, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and eventually clove. Honied or maple syrup. Slight smoke in the background suggesting a deep char first fill American white oak, as does slight pepper presence.
Palate-sweet, Orange, fruitcake, spices, pepper and again slight smoke, honey, maple syrup.
Finish-medium length, sweet spicy and tannic reflecting sherry cask. Colour suggests Oloroso for a year or so.
Conclusion- a nice Speyside but in which the woods dominate the spirit.

1st September 2016

The nicest Scotch Whiskey I have ever tasted.

18th May 2016

I know this is a rating that will anger some people but i have to be honest. Sherry casks, to me, ruin perfectly good scotch. I can't stand the sweetness, it's why i don't drink bourbon. To me, scotch is meant to be smokey, peaty, complex. This scotch's good notes are masked by the sweet Sherry taste. Would have been better in only oak.

22nd April 2016

I am pretty new to Scotches, drinking them with friends most Fridays after work, and have been fortunate enough to try many wonderful Scotches over the past year. This was one of my first Scotch experiences and is still one of my favorites. I am never caught without a bottle on hand at home or when away on business. Price and deliciousness just add up to a wonderful drink.

18th April 2016

Too expensive, but this whisky is full of delicious notes of fruits, honey, and a sweetness that is so nice. No pepper whatsoever in this dram. A little dry.

I can't say I didn't expect more, but this is my favorite between the 12 and 14 year Olds. This is a delicious single malt and I will make sure to keep it in my bar.

6th April 2016

The start tough but smooths out quickly. Flavors deep in the middle. Finishes nicely on the pallet

18th March 2016

Smooth with a nice toughness. Interesting flavor profile and complexity. Enjoy with a big stick.

4th March 2016

I spent a good long attentive time sipping the 12 and the 17. I admit that the 17 has lovely body and subtle complexity, but it is, to my taste, lacking in both flavor and finish. It is hardly 3 times the flavor for 3 times the price. The 12 has a wonderful sweetness and a perfect vanilla finish. I bought the 17 because the 15 was out of stock - that was a minor tragedy. The 15 is incomparable.

15th February 2016

It was boring, hot and over-priced; I wouldn't pay over $35.00 for this.

10th February 2016

Very good, but prefer the 12yr!

8th February 2016

I found this to be delicious.

16th January 2016

Best whisky bar none

7th December 2015

I am a Balvenie fan and own the 12yr DoubleWood, 14Yr Caribbean and have sampled the 21 Yr Portwood and the 15 Single and 15 Sherry wood straight out of the barrel thanks to Anthony Bourdain.
This 17 Yr Doublewood was my second favorite only behind the 21 yr Portwood and I will be adding a bottle to my collection.

18th November 2015

I nearly ordered a bottle of this, but at the last minute decided to buy a miniature tasting set. Boy am I glad I did. The set contained 12y, 14y, and the 17y. The 12 was very punchy, but flowed with flavour, and smelt Devine. The 14 was a little bit more refined, and had a very long finish. The 17 was such a disappointment!!!!!!!! It was so smooth I actualy thought it had been watered down. No where near as complex as other whiskies of this age, and pretty bland really. Such a disappointment............................ Go for the twelve, tastes better, and you will save a bit of money

5th November 2015

A very reasonable whisky, though the cloying sweetness that I assume is from the sherry cask just ruins it for me. I start out noticing the light spice on my tongue, with a nice sweetness, then shortly after I wonder what happened and why I still taste a heavy lingering sweetness. Sherry always ruins it for me, should know better.

31st July 2015

No idea why there is bad reviews on this one! You like Balvenie? You'll love this.

30th July 2015

The nose is clean with a promising hopes of sweetness from the sherry - but I could hardly pick up anything past the oak. A tiny bit of honeysuckle and maybe stone fruit comes through, finishing with vanilla. However the intensity of the oak makes it so dry that it seems to evaporate off the palate (literally) before it can be truly tasted. The finish is long, indeed, but I thought I'd been chewing on wood chips.

Overall - a decent dram that I didn't mind tasting, but far overpriced. the quality is there but the blatant imbalance masks "what could have been". perhaps their next release will have more influence from the sherry casks - that I'd like to see.

14th July 2015

this is my fave scotch. outstanding, smooth and enjoyable right through. any reviews that are negative are really quite unbelievable. ! well done Balvenie

9th July 2015

I have to say I enjoyed this greatly, when I finish this bottle I will buy another to have around for those special occasions.

19th April 2015

Wonderful scotch. Enjoin it as I write the review. Fruity, long finish and wonderful. Enough said.

20th February 2015

Plums, sherry, cherry, red apples, smooth finish of pears and blood orange but still feel the Balvenie 21 reigns supreme. Enjoyable.

11th February 2015

Got this as a gift and enjoyed it, but I wouldn't pay my money for it.

30th December 2014

So this is a perfectly good whiskey but I couldn't tell the difference between this and the 12 year old. On that basis I wouldn't buy this again as I don't think twice the price is justified.

5th December 2014

I see some negative reviews. Cannot understand them. I have yet to share a Balvenie with anyone who hasn't tried it that hasn't gone out and bought supplies of their own afterwards. To each his own, so I don't bash other brands and will not name any here. But I have witnessed a friend pour a bottle of premium single malt of another brand down the drain after tasting the doublewood. He said it made his tast like "a cheap bottle of blended scotch". I've tried numerous brands and enjoy only a select few. I would put The Balvenie a the top of my list. Exceptionally smooth yet delightfully nosey.

11th October 2014

Really enjoying this bottle. Wish i had picked up another bottle when down in the US.

5th October 2014

Buy a bottle, because a sample won't do it. At first I was disappointed, but by the last drop I had forgiven it for its small shortcomings. It is an all round clean malt - great nose with a clear mix of bourbon oak and sherry oak characteristics. The taste is wonderful, but it lacks a bit of Oomphf. It's hard to explain, it seems restrained, held back. No single characteristics is allowed to play the lead so to speak. I wish they would have bottled it at 46% and kept it un-chill filtered, maybe that would have given it that final push to making it a truly unforgettable single malt.

20th September 2014

Sorry but this just didn't do it for me. It tasted of cardboard and plaster to me. The same way Glenfiddich does, but twice as strong. There was a sherry finish that covers it up, but it's still there, and I'm not that big of a sherry-finish fan anyway (except oddly in the Lagavulin DE). And, it's pricey. If you have tasted Glenfiddich and you know the cardboard I'm talking about, then stay away (unless you like the cardboard, then by all means dig in).

9th July 2014

Bought this as many do, based on the reviews. But for my self, found the nose to be much more impressive than the taste.
There's a strong smell of vanilla toffee and spice, but genuinley found the taste was a little one dimensional.
Over all pleasant, but to similar to the 12 in taste. Just a little smoother.

29th June 2014

A wonderful Speyside from Balvenie, a bit darker and with better mouth feel than the Double Wood 12. Excellent honey and apple notes; strong but not overpowering. An elegant, smooth-sweet finish of light vanilla and apple.

- MJM

17th June 2014

Liquid poetry. Liquid gold. Almost a jolly rancher green apple on the nose and palate, but very subtle, just lingering in the background so its not too tart.

5th April 2014

My Cousin works for a distributor and he got 2 bottles of these as a prize for employee of the month and he gave me one just because. But before he did, we sat there at a casual 4 pm meeting and finished half bottle of it with no chaser or snacks. i thought it was just great. took the bottle home and it was still great and shared with friends and such. was able to find the bottle at local county liquor stores for around $70. ever since, their popularity has gone off the charts and now u can't buy below $100. this is within the last 4 - 5 years.

But i bought a bottle recently. and this is by far my favorite whiskey... Love it...

25th February 2014

a very good dram .light ,and easy to take,up there with the best .after all it is Balvenie ..

22nd February 2014

Ah yes, you appear to be very correct indeed! Hats off to you, we've fixed this error now. An excellent whisky with 0 stars is a sight to see indeed... --The Chaps at Master of Malt

20th February 2014

The reviewer above said the whisky was excellent and gave it zero stars. How can it be great but not get any stars. Probably an error that should be corrected.

19th February 2014

An amazing, honeyed, easy drinking soft scotch. I could drink this all day.
Expensive but well worth it. Balvenie is the best.

29th January 2014

Deep golden amber, an enticing appearance.

Notes of oak come through from its time in the barrel, honey and layers of fruit. Fruit, oak, vanilla. The time spent in the sherry cask does add a different flavor and a “roundness.” Honey as well, light alcohol taste, easy, short lived finish

I am very happy to have bought this bottle, I tried to drink it slowly because I knew the day would come when it would be gone and that would be a sad day indeed. That being said, I didn’t run right out of the house and shell out another $130 for a bottle as soon as it was empty. It was good and I liked it very much, but there’s so much more out there and something tells me there are better choices for the money

20th January 2014

Only surpassed by the 21 year old portwood.

11th January 2014

Its very smooth and for the price you can't go wrong.

11th January 2014

I have quite a good collection and a variety of different and interesting whiskeys and I have just added this one to my collection. After reading the reviews I thought this a must have, and I'm a little disappointed. Now don't get me wrong its got a great nutty, spicy taste with a hint of vanilla and fruit but its lacking something and I can't quite put my finger on it. It is a good whiskey and I do enjoy it but for the price there's a few other whiskeys that I prefer, but that's just me.

2nd January 2014

I have many variety of scotch in my collection, however this is one of the best I have ever had the pleasure of enjoying. extremely creamy on the pallet, complex flavours of caramel, vanilla, and some dark chocolate that never cease to disappoint. If I could afford to I would buy another ten bottles before its no longer available.
the only downside for me is the price tag. Here in BC Canada this bottle fetches $180.

19th December 2013

This is a good dram, don't get me wrong. But it seems a bit hollow to me. The 14 Caribbean Cask is more complex and half the price. Otherwise, I would save up a few more dollars and just get the 21 Portwood instead.

14th December 2013

This is the first dram from Day One of my whisky advent calendar (an early Xmas present to myself). If this standard is maintained, it's going to be a great December!

2nd December 2013

Really great whiskey. Smoother and more complex than its younger counterpart. Long, sweet finish. One of the most easily drinkable whiskeys I've ever come across.

8th November 2013

I'll miss this when its gone

15th October 2013

My problem with this whiskey is basically that it has destroyed every other for me. Since my 18th birthday my dad and I have this tradition where we always give eachother whiskeys for our birthday. This one has pretty much destroyed it for me. I have not, in the 5 years since I first tasted this whiskey, ever tried another quite as good.

This is the comparison for every new whiskey I try. And it always wins.

11th October 2013

It is like the Double Wood 12 y/o matured into an incredibly complex scotch. If you enjoy the 12y/o you will find this 17y/o highly worth the price. However, I would only share it with those who can truly appreciate its complexity.

1st October 2013

I like the 12yo Double Wood as standard whisky around the house but this is just awesome. As tasty as the 21yo Port Wood.

8th September 2013

excellent whiskey. exactly as others describe, however I do feel it is lacking just a whiff of smoke to make this a perfect dram. 9.5/10

30th August 2013

I had quite high hopes for this one given it's great younger brother, but I wasn't disappointed. This is a dram that is very enjoyable and worth every penny. The 21 yo Portwood is one of few bottles I've bought more than once and this 17 yo DW will probably appear in my cabinet again, too.

7th April 2013

Fortunate to have been given a bottle as a present from my son Kieran, good lad. We already know Balvennie 12 Doublewood very well. 17 is even smoother, really easy to drink with a sweet warm vanilla finish. Exquisite.
My only problem is trying to save a few tots for my son when he returns home from Uni.

8th March 2013

Given this as a present from my son Kieran, good lad. Better than MacAllan 18year old which I previously thought among my collections best. Sublime. Extremely difficult not to drink it all as I have promised my son we will have a tot or two when he is back from Uni.

7th March 2013

This is my favorite whisky to have tasted. The 12 year is blah to me, nothing special, prefer MaCallan 12 or Double Black. But, the 17 is sweet, linguering, inviting, and very tasty like dessert. I do not like the 14 or the Caribbean cask.

5th January 2013

I want to try this so bad! Someone leave a review for me haha. I had the 12 year double wood and absolutely loved it.

2nd January 2013