Balvenie DoubleWood is, to not much surprise, aged in two kinds of oak casks! It was firstly 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 whisky over the years. Even at 12 years old, this rich and complex dram is an excellent example of what the Balvenie distillery can craft.
Gristy, supple nuttiness intertwined with spices. Honeyed sultanas and grapes. Hugely inviting.
Sweet with good body. The bourbon characters develop; gentle spice with a little vanilla, a hint of balancing peat lurking quietly in the substrata. Dried fruit too, combining with nuts, nutmeg, cinnamon, back into the bourbon notes - so well integrated.
Spicy, slightly drying, still sweet.
A classic, always a pleasure to revisit. (This is also a single malt with the ability to convert a non-whisky drinker with its deliciousness...)
Very smooth and strong First time I've ever had this scotch. I used to drink scotch about 30 years ago and gave it up for wine. Got this for a 60th birthday present and it is very, very nice...smooth, with a bit of a bite! I will go easy on this or I might revert back to 30 years ago!!
First time I've ever had this scotch. I used to drink scotch about 30 years ago and gave it up for wine. Got this for a 60th birthday present and it is very, very nice...smooth, with a bit of a bite! I will go easy on this or I might revert back to 30 years ago!!
Hate to disagree with the majority, but considering the price, I found this to be a little harsh, almost like a blended whisky. I prefer my old standby Glenlivet 18 year old scotch over this. It does have quite a kick though.
I don't know of another quality Scotch that can charm a beginner's palate quite like the Doublewood 12 year. It's very inviting, has all the qualities one looks for in a Speyside, but in gentle, non-threatening proportions. It won't scare a beginner away--my first Scotch tasting was a Laphroig, perpetrated as a trick by an uncle with a dubious sense of humor; that first sip sadly kept me away from all Scotches, even bland blends, for nearly a decade. Today it's my favorite bottle, but I had to earn its virtues, a concept that would have been lost on me as a tyro. When my 17 year old daughter turns 18 later this year, she's been promised a sampling from any bottle in the cabinet, but I'm going to use what's left of my waning paternal influence and suggest her first Scotch to be this Doublewood. I love this bottle and I love her more, so it makes good sense to pair the two. After that, she's on her own (unless she wants my advice anymore, which I hope she will).
I found the sherry cask to add nothing to the whisky, a good solid whisky. But for an extra taste I'ld look at Penderyn.
