Balvenie DoubleWood 17 Year

This is effectively the true older sibling of the flagship 12-year. Or it was at least. They discontinued this—and the 15 sherry SB, in favor of a 16-year in between compromise. The discontinuation of this expression motivated the purchase. Let’s see if this was worth a try before it was too late. Nose: Gala apple, pear, apricot, and orange citrus. Malt, vanilla, caramel, toffee, butterscotch, and honey. Fairly standard Speyside affair. Some peanut brittle, toasted almond, and walnut. Sugar cookie. Milk chocolate and marshmallow. Praline pecan. Rich refined oak. No spice, it’s more like a mahogany desk. Palate: More of the gala apple, pear, apricot, and orange citrus. Golden raisin. Malt, toffee, vanilla, caramel, milk chocolate, honey, and butterscotch. Brown sugar. A touch floral and then it’s powerful oak. Again, mahogany, but this time with a touch of cinnamon, clove, and nutmeg. Finish: Gala apple, pear, apricot, golden raisin, and orange citrus. Honey, vanilla, toffee, malt, milk chocolate, butterscotch. Plenty of oak, with some cinnamon, clove, and nutmeg. Moderate length. This is one of the “cleanest” whiskies I’ve ever had. It isn’t the most exciting, but it is an absolutely beautiful representation of Speyside Scotch. You could say this one “sticks to the script.” Maybe this could’ve earned a higher score if it did just a tad more to set itself apart. But it’s a phenomenal offering as is. It’s a shame to see it go, but I’m very glad I made the purchase before it was all gone. 4.25/5.

Balvenie stopped producing (or releasing) this whisky a couple of years ago, and when I heard the news I scooped up a couple of remaining bottles around town. Because of the scarcity, I don't drink this too often. My last tasting note was August 27, 2002. The "DoubleWood" nomenclature refers to the fact that this whisky is aged in both whisky and sherry oak casks. Clear darker burnt orange color. Very pleasant nose showing apple, golden raisins, dates, vanilla extract, pomander, and honey is followed by a welcoming, gentle spiciness (43% ABV), lingering sweetness, some length with a touch of char on the back end. What I'd initially noted on my review in August 2022 as a "monochromatic flavor profile" now strikes me instead as restrained, belieing the dark brown canister emblazoned with the gold all-caps "DoubleWood." While it is an easy whisky to drink, patience is rewarded. More enjoyable than my last tasting; 4.0 on the Distiller scale. As always, tasted neat in a Glencairn glass.

Clear burnt orange color (no added coloring). Sherry-influenced nose (17 years in oak followed by 6-12 months in second-fill sherry casks): caramelized sugar, vanilla extract, golden raisins, and sorghum syrup. Sweetness continues with the palate, showing dark chocolate and amaretto before switching to a white pepper finish, and a lingering mild, spicy burn that is surprising for the 43% ABV. When I learned over a year ago that this whisky was being discontinued, I bought the last two I could find, as I'd always enjoyed it. But a closer inspection reveals less complexity and a certain monochromatic flavor profile, with different shades of "sweet." It's very enjoyable, but simpler than other sherry-influenced whiskies. N.B. All spirits tasted neat in a Glencairn glass.

On the nose I'm immediately picking up tropical fruits. I get banana, pineapple, strawberry, and vanilla. It reminds me of those tropical caprisun juice packs I drank as a kid. The lasting notes on the nose is like a strawberry starburst. The nose is the highlight of the whisky for me. The palate is soft, sweet, a plastic note, a dash of spice. The finish is medium-long with dry and bitter oak, spice, and plastic synthetic taste. I've give this a 4.1 or 82. The main area that I'd know this whisky is that the palate is just too thin. If only this were bottled at 46-48%, the palate would really come alive.

The nose on this whiskey is soft and elegant. You get hints of the wood and the sweet honey notes, and also something resembling marshmallow. On the palate, a whole bunch of layers come out. But theyre not rushing out, rather they unfold slowly. There’s nutty notes like almond or pecan, and there’s gentle vanilla. Then there’s some dried fruit and some apple, and also almost a bit of spice towards the end. Altogether, this has to be one of the richest Balvenie’s I’ve had, and that’s coming from a distillery known for it’s depth and richness. Top notch whiskey.

And now, a moment of silence to honor my penultimate bottle of Balvenie Doublewood 17 Year; only one remains in inventory, and it is no longer produced. Consistent with previous notes, even if the order is a little different. Leads with sorghum syrup, with orange oil, chocolate oranges, vanilla, golden raisins--think liquid Claxton fruit cake. Creamy, glycerin mouthfeel. A hit of white pepper precedes the long, caramelized sugar finish. Would I buy it again? Yes, if it still existed. 4.25 on the Distiller scale.