Balvenie 12 Year Old DoubleWood

DESCRIPTION:

Aged in refill American oak casks before being finished in first fill European oak Sherry casks, DoubleWood is an excellent example of what the Balvenie distillery can craft, even at 12 years.

TASTING NOTES:

Nose: Gristy, supple nuttiness intertwined with spices. Honeyed sultanas and grapes. Hugely inviting.

Palate: 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.

Finish: Spicy, slightly drying, still sweet.

Overall: 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...)