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The Balvenie – Double Wood 12 Year Old

January 11, 2024 Scotland

Name: The Balvenie Double Wood 12 Year Old

Color: Gold

Nose: Spice, vanilla, honey, nutty

Taste: Sweet, spices, orange/honey

Balvenie is one of those whiskies you should know about if you like Scotch. They produce a massive volume of whisky within a large span when it comes to age, flavor, and price per bottle.

The Balvenie Double Wood 12 Year old gets its name from the two casks the whisky is matured in over 12 years. The first cask is “whisky oak” and it is listed as “traditional whisky casks” which “impart vanilla spiciness”. Let me translate, ex-American oak Bourbon barrels or just American oak barrels. Isn’t marketing wonderful? The second cask is ex-European oak sherry cask and I am guessing they are from Spain. So basically this means one regular, one sweet with respect to the barrels. Also, Balvenie’s marketing description sounds very close to Macallen Double Cask if you ask me.

This scotch is another of the many sherry-finished whisky’s on the market. No surprise as the demand for slightly sweeter whisky grows as the popularity of whisky begins to peak. You might wonder why sweeter whisky’s are becoming more popular. I have a theory with no research to back it up. Most people who I know that do not like whisky find the taste awful. My father says it is like swallowing medicine. I am reminded of the 1960’s Mary Poppins song, “A spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down….” Today, a wee bit of sweetness seems to be part of the marketing plan of many distilleries. In summary, the distillery sweetened the scotch so more people can drink it.

I think that the bottle and sleeve of any Balvenie Scotch has a very classy look. When you need a gift to impress, but do not know what to get I recommend Balvenie. Of course, opinions and budgets vary, but when in doubt, and for a few extra dollars buy Balvenie

Price around $65+ it is a good price if you like a sweeter taste.

If you like it, drink it!

The Balvenie America Oak

January 10, 2024 Scotland

Name: The Balvenie America Oak

Color: Light brown

Nose: Malt, honey, flowers, vanilla, citrus notes

Taste: Malt, vanilla, woof, light spices, lemon

The Balvenie Distillery was found in 1892 in Dufftown which is in the Speyside region of Scotland. It has been making whisky for 127 years and it is some of the best whisky you can find on the shelves in America for the variety of flavor profiles and a buyer’s budget.

The American Oak on my first taste was as expected, very good and well balanced, but it tasted very familiar. From my research this expression is The Balvenie 12, but it is finished in new (virgin) American Oak Barrels from Kentucky and are charred fresh. The 43% abv makes it an easy drinker and it immediately reminded me of the 12-year-old expression but the lighter version.

Overall, this is a very nice expression and easy to drink at proof level, but I find the other Balvenie expressions, including the 12-year-old are richer and more complex. The appeal of this expression would be the price.

Other expressions:

Core Expressions: 12, 17, Signature 12, Cuba Selection 14, Caribbean Cask 14, Single Barrel 12 & 15, Peat Week, Portwood 21, Single Barrel 34, 30, 40, 50, & 50-year-old Single Cask.

Triple Cask Expressions:12, 16, & 25.

Limited Edition (age varies): Golden Cask, Islay Cask, New Wood, New Oak, Sherry Oak, Rum Cask, Madeira Cask, Peated Cask, Craftsman Reserve No.1, Portwood (1989, 1991, 1993), & Tun (1401, 1858,1509).

Priced around $50+ and is a nice summer scotch and the most affordable (aka the cheapest) of the expressions.

If you like it, drink it! – Christopher

If you like it, drink it!

Lagavulin 8

December 20, 2023 Scotland

Name: Lagavulin 8

Color: Light Yellow

Nose: Peat, salt, malt, caramel

Taste: Peat, malt, sea grass, caramel, straw

5 Days left before Christmas! Do you have all your bottles yet?!?

Lagavulin is a winter favorite of mine and I have not had it in a while so on my last visit to the Potstill in Glasgow I decided it was time for reunion. I was leaning towards trying the 25-year-old, but I opted for the 8-year-old as it is more popular on the shelves in the USA.

The distillery originally released the 8-year-old for their 200^th anniversary but has now added it the permanent list of expressions. I found the 8 to have much more flavor than the 16 on my immediate tasting, but it was not nearly as smooth or refined from what I can remember. The 8 is bottle at 48% abv and the 16 is bottle at 43% with a price difference of $65 vs. $90+. I will give the 8 it’s due and proper, it is a good whiskey and very drinkable. However, the 16 is better, but I really need to sample them both side by side.

This expression would make a good gift to someone who has interest in peated whisky but you don’t like enough to spend almost a hundred dollars on.

Lagavulin Expressions produced are 8, 12 cask, 16, 21, 25, 30, 37, Offerman, and Distiller’s Edition.

Priced around $65 and worth it if you are on a budget, but the 16 is better.

If you like it, drink it! – Christopher

If you like it, drink it!

Balbair 12

December 16, 2023 Scotland

Name: Balbair 12

Color: Light Brown

Nose: Malt, honey, lemons, flowers, light oak

Taste: Malt, honey, white fruits, cream/sweet finish

9 Days left before Christmas! Do you have all your bottles yet?!?

Balbair is a Highland whisky from Edderton, Ross-shire, Scotland. The distillery was founded in 1790 and has grown and changed ownership over the years. It is currently owned by Inver House Distillers who also owns Speyburn-Glenlivet, Knockdhu, Old Pulteney, and Balmenach.

The Balair 12 is aged in ex-bourbon and double fired American oak casks and is bottled at 46% abv. I picked this sample up in Edinburgh on my last visit as a random whisky to sample. I was not familiar with this whisky and I have not seen in previously it in the bars or stores in the NYC area. It has a light sweet nose and the taste almost matches the nose which is never a good sign from experience. I also found it too sweet and overall a bit flat tasting. It was not bad, it just was not that impressive.

Other expressions: 9, 10, 12, 15, 18, 40, Equinox & Solstice, Elements, and Explorations. Various years have associated cask numbers or names depending on the year released.

Priced around $50+ and not my preferred flavor profile but I will try more expressions if I find them.

If you like it, drink it! – Christopher

If you like it, drink it!

GlenAllachie 12

December 15, 2023 Scotland

Name: GlenAllachie 12

Color: Dark Brown

Nose: Malt, caramel, oak, heather, sherry/honey

Taste: Malt, sweet caramel, oak, white fruit

10 Days left before Christmas! Do you have all your bottles yet?!?

GlenAllachie 12 is a Speyside whisky that was found in 1967 and has change ownership over the years. The distillery was closed for a few years until it was re-opened by a group of private investors.

GlenAllachie 12 is bottled at 46% abv and is non-chilled filtered. From my research it appears to be aged in Virgin Oak, PX Sherry casks, and Oloroso sherry casks.It has a nice taste and balance and reminded me of Edradour 10. It is easy to drink and not too hot for the proof level, but a little sweet on the finish for my taste.

I do not think I have every seen this whisky on the shelves in the NYC area. I get the feeling that is a sourced whisky as they may be building up their reserves. When I was in Edinburgh last Spring, I picked up several nips of whisky’s from Whisky’s of the World and this was one among them. I like to gamble on the smaller bottles when I am not sure and it worked out for most of this year’s reviews.

GlenAllachie other expressions are a surprising a long list. By category they have the following: Anniversary Series, Core Range, Single Casks, Virgin Oak Series, Wine Cask Series, Wood Finish Range, Macnair’s, and White Heather. Click here for the complete list – The GlenAllachie Distillery.

Priced around $65 and worth a try if you like the profile. I look forward to try more expressions if I can find them.

If you like it, drink it! – Christopher

If you like it, drink it!

Tomatin 18

December 14, 2023 Scotland

Name: Tomatin 18

Color: Brown

Nose: Malt, vanilla, caramel, cedar wood, white fruits

Taste: Malt, vanilla, caramel wood, white fruits, sweet finish

The Christmas countdown has begun! Do you have all your bottles ready!?!

Tomatin distillery is located in the Village to Tomatin which is South of Inverness in the Highlands of Scotland. The distillery was founded in the 16^th century for local purchases of jugs for farmers and then was later fully established as Tomatin in 1897.

The Tomatin 18 has nice nose with a hint of dry cedar wood. It has smooth malt taste with sherry sweet finish and is well balanced. I did find the caramel a little thick on the tongue, but it was not a deal breaker. This expression could be enjoyed as a winter or a summer whisky. I find the Tomatin 12 to be a summer drinker.

I enjoy sampling Tomatin, but I am not yet fully convinced it is worth the money for the older expressions. I will need to try more in the future.

Priced around $125-$150 and overpriced for the flavor profile.

If you like it, drink it! – Christopher

If you like it, drink it!

Tamdhu 12

December 5, 2023 Scotland

Name: Tamdhu 12

Color: Copper

Nose: Malt, honey, heather, oak, sherry

Taste: Malt, honey, vanilla, sherry sweet finish

The Christmas countdown has begun! Do you have all your bottles ready!?!

The Tamdhu Distillery was founded in 1896 and located in the village of Knockando in Banffshire, Scotland. Tamdhu was/is mainly used for the production of popular blended whisky’s such as The Famous Grouse, J&B, and Cutty Sark. Currently the ownership of Ian McLeod Distilleries is producing it as a single malt expression. The name “Tamdhu” in Gaelic and translates to “little dark hill”.

Tamdhu 12 is Speyside single malt bottle at 43% abv. It is a lighter tasting whisky which is more on the sweeter side due the sherry cask finish. It has a nice balance and at first taste I would have guessed it to be a Lowlander instead of a Speyside. It is smooth drinker and comes off as more of a summer than a winter scotch. I believe I had tried this whisky once before in The Potstill Bar in Glasgow and from my hazy memory I enjoyed it so picked up a bottle to reconfirm my experience. It’s a little sweet for me, but very solid dram.

Expressions currently offered: NAS, 8,10,12,18,50, Batch Strength No. 001 & 2, Limited Edition, 1990 Cask Strength, and Signatory Vintage 1994.

Priced around $65-75 and worth the price if you like the flavor profile. I will be trying more expressions hopefully this month when I am in Scotland, which is tonight!

If you like it, drink it! – Christopher

If you like it, drink it!

The Macallan 12

November 23, 2023 Scotland

Name: The Macallan 12

Color: Light brown

Nose: Light oak and sherry

Taste: Medium bodied, sherry, orange citrus, sweet oak finish

As you can see from the picture, my former coworker is a very patient man. They say, “some things are worth waiting for”, personally, I had a bigger glass at my desk.

Macallan 12 is a very good and well-marketed brand of Scotch whisky. It is lighter in body and flavor which is easier to drink but a bad idea in a cocktail as the flavor will be lost among the mixers. If you would like to “up your Scotch game” or need arrive somewhere with a nicer bottle in your hand, Macallan 12 would be an excellent choice.

I always recommend Macallan 12 as an introduction Scotch for non-whisky drinkers due to the lighter flavor and balanced taste. The vast amount of whisky from Scotland can overwhelm you and you would not want to start out too strong or too complex in flavor such as Laphroaig or Dalmore.

Macallan 12 will be easier and more enjoyable on your palate as opposed to full-bodied whiskeys with ice or water.

Priced around $65+ and worth the money.

If you like it, drink it! – Christopher

If you like it, drink it!

The Balvenie Caribbean Cask

November 9, 2023 Scotland

Name: The Balvenie Caribbean Cask

Color: Yellow

Nose: Malt, sugar cane, vanilla, light wood

Taste: Malt, tropical fruit, cream vanilla, honey, flowers

The Balvenie Distillery is located in Dufftown, Scotland which is the Speyside region. It was founded in 1886 by William Grant & Sons and I have not yet had a bad experience with their whisky but get what you pay for in life and with their expressions.

The Balvenie Caribbean Cask 14-Year-Old is bottled at 43% abv, aged in 14 years in oak barrels, and finished in rum cask from the West Indies. It is a medium body whisky with a good balance of malt and rum and a light oak finish. The color looks natural, but I could not confirm. It is very easy to drink on ice or neat. I think a slightly higher in abv would be better as the flavor profile would last longer when enjoyed on the rocks.

I purchased this expression last summer when I had to travel to Florida due to my Mum passing in July of 2021. She had been suffering for a long time and I was glad she was finally at peace. My Mum was born and raised in Glasgow, Scotland and she taught me many things. One thing she taught me even before I was into whisky was, “There is slipping whisky and then there is slugging whisky.” I was slugged a few glasses of this sipping whisky.

Priced around $90+ and worth the money to enjoy in warm weather or to raise a glass to your Mum.

If you like it, drink it! – Christopher

If you like it, drink it!

Lagavulin 16

October 26, 2023 Scotland

Name: Lagavulin 16

Color: Caramel Brown

Nose: Smoke, peat and brine

Taste: Smoke, peat, orange iodine, smooth seaweed brine notes

Originating from the region of Islay in the Highlands of Scotland this single malt 16 year old whisky is in the realm of “Laphroaig” but has been smoothed out very nicely and finishes easy while still being a “big boy” Scotch. Do not misunderstand me, this is still a full-bodied peat smoke styled Islay Scotch but it is softer than others I have tried while maintaining its character. Most will still find it to be an acquired taste.

When you compare it to Laphroaig 10 you are getting 6 more years in the barrel and a much smoother finish so it’s going to cost you more but I feel it is worth it. You may also recognize this whisky if you watch “Ray Donavan” on Showtime as this is the one he seems drinks the most next to Blue Label. (Note: He is all over the map in what he drinks)

Priced between $80-90 it is a good value for those who love Islay whisky or are entering the heavier bodied smoke peat flavor spectrum.

If you like it, drink it! – Christopher

If you like it, drink it!

The Balvenie – Double Wood 12 Year Old

The Balvenie America Oak

Lagavulin 8

Balbair 12

GlenAllachie 12

Tomatin 18

Tamdhu 12

The Macallan 12

The Balvenie Caribbean Cask

Lagavulin 16

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