Balvenie Doublewood 12 Year

Last drink. I want something not too challenging, but not entitely pedestrian. The selection is light here. Perusing, perusing… Crown Royal… No. Gentleman Jack. Ha. No. There’s exactly 4 single malt scotches. Laphroaig 10. Too much. Glenfiddich 12. Not quite enough. Clynelish 14. I do love it, but of course I have an open bottle at home. Baby bear is Balvenie 12. If the selection was better, it wouldn’t even register because I can’t stop being a douchey snob. Boy am I glad the universe conspired. I think this is the best nose I’ve sniffed in years. I watched a YouTube whiskey review and the dude nosed with his mouth open. Looked like a mouth-breathing Neanderthal. But goddamn if that didn’t change my life. Assaulted by wave after wave of sherry, with red grapes, honey and a little rich soil and wet maple leaves. I smelled it for 10 minutes. I didn’t want to bust the illusion. A little sip brought plums and the part of the apple right around the core, plus just a little bite, maybe only because I scalded my tongue a little on my afternoon tea. The finish brought a pleasantly bitter note of raw almonds that was over all too soon.

Color: Light-medium copper Nose: Honey, oak Palate: Honey, mild chest hug, spicy, slight bitterness — but I get that from pretty much every Scotch I've ever had. Not necessarily a bad thing... like slightly bitter fruit of some sort. I hate peat, and this one is not peaty at all. So, props for that. When I was a kid, Pine Bros. Honey cough drops were one of the brands we had for coughs. Scotch tastes like those to me. Finish: I'll call this "medium" with some fruitiness and that general "Scotch" aftertaste. Not sure exactly what that is. Final Thoughts: I'm a Bourbon drinker, first and foremost. But I like to mix it up a bit from time to time. Whereas all — or most — Bourbons are unique taste experiences, all Scotch tastes the same to me. The others I've had were The Macallan 12, and a Glenfiddich 15. This totally reminds me of those two. I will enjoy finishing this bottle. But once it's gone, I'll be heading back to my "old Kentucky home"! LOL.

Total Score : 3.0 [Eng] [Nose] - It doesn't smell like alcohol to the point where you can barely feel it. - Vanilla - Honey - At the end of the scent, there is a rich greasy feeling like condensed milk. - It also has a caramel scent at the end. [Palete] - Barely feel the spicy. - Smooth - Mild - Fruity [Finish] - Very Smooth - The scent of nose leaves a lingering impression. - The soft, savory scent of the grain, which is different from the oak. [Kor] [Nose] - 거의 안 느껴질 정도로 알코올 향은 없음. - 바닐라 - 꿀 - 향의 끝에선 연유 같은 농후한 비릿함이 있음. - 나중엔 캬라멜 향도 살짝 남 [Palete] - 스파이시함은 거의 없음. - 부드럽다 - 자극이 거의 없음. - 과일맛 [Finish] - 아주 부드러움. - 노즈의 향이 여운으로 이어짐. - 오크 느낌과는 다른 곡물의 부드럽고 고소한 향.

I believe this is the fourth time I've dug into this dram and it's better than I remember. For context, it is following a subpar canadian whisky. With that in mind, the nose is presenting very well with notes of raisins, toffee, lemon, and grass. A brown sugar note from the bourbon casks as well. Making my mouth water so let's get into this. Palate is gentle and viscous. The toffee and raisins follow along with a grapefruit note. Kind of plateaus from there. Finish is medium in length with light notes of grass and honey. Overall decent experience. It's so nice to you so very much recommended for entry into the category.

Bought an old bottle from a friend (unopened). Not sure if it is 100% OK anymore. I get why this is recommended for newbies. Very easy going, but not much to explore. Fruits on the nose as well as in the taste. Nose is almost like your granny’s old livinroom with a bit of stale finish. Nothing really to stay longer in your mouth. I could see myself getting this for a weekend out with friends, but at this price point, there are better options. I may still get a newer bottle of this, just to make sure this one was still in good condition.

A bit of a disappointment but in a very specific sense. A nice whisky, smooth and full, does not lack a character but definitely feels oversimplified for its price and the renome of the distillery. Anise and herbs on the nose alongside with familiar vanilla and spices. A little bit harsh on a palate with a pronounced spiritous tone tried to be disguised but failed to do so. Allright in overall but somewhat weak due to expectations.