Tastes

Honestly, it doesn't deserve a long review. It is so poor, that I don't want to imagine drinking something worse. Metallic on the nose and alcoholic on taste. Short finish, but who would want a long finish of this... Very, very bad work. I would fire the blender.

For the price, nice bottle in addition to the fact being a single malt whisky from actually one of the first English distilleries. I got interested as soon as I saw it. Both on the nose and the palate, you can catch the character of both the Bourbon and the Sherry casks - citrus and forrest fruits, tiny spiciness, vanilla and caramel. A touch of honey at the end. Can't lie though - it is a young spirit and you can feel it more or less. Yet, good price to quality ratio for an everyday drink.

Now this is a massively amazing example of a cask finishing. Red fruits, red berries, floral and nuts on the nose, and spices as a compliment. The beaufitul part comes on the palate. Honey, dried fruits, vanilla, caramel, almonds, pecans... A gentle, gentle masterpiece. Wow! A whisky for anyone!

Harsh on the nose for me - oaky spices, grass, ginger, black pepper and apple cider. A drop of water releases richer flavors and smells as vanilla and some dried fruits. Yet again, as with the 12 DoubleWood, there is a short finish. There is quite unpleasant for me pepper and oaky finish.

Now this is much, much different to the 12 DoubleWood. They mastered the rum cask finishing beautifully, as they keep it in the seasoned rum casks for just a few months so that the Scotch whisky can't be overpowered by the rum. You can feel that rum sweetness right away on the nose with tropical fruits, bananas and coconut as a compliment to the main, typical for Balvenie vanilla and honey character. Very pleasent vanilla and fruity sweetness on the palate as well. Again, beautiful work!

First, there come red grapes and raw nuts on the nose. After that you can feel the strong character from the American barrels - mostly vanilla and a touch of honey. The pitiful moment comes on the palate where everything dissappears quickly and the very short finish is with oaky spices and little sweet dried fruits. It could be said that this is the basis for The Balvenie nowadays - especially for what you feel on the nose. I expected more on the palate and longer finish though.

The nose is dominated by baked pork skin and bacon smokiness. There are also nuts - almonds and peanuts. Yet, what is beyond description is the taste. What a well-balanced peated whisky this is - there are not medicine notes, but a touch of oak, spices, kind fruits and soft vanilla and almonds. Amazing dram. Obviously one the most balanced peated whiskies out there, especially for its price!

On the nose there are many sweet fruits - ripe mango, pineapple and many more, as well as vanilla. Sweet and spicy feeling is added on the palate with the fruit salad and an elegant smoke, which stays for a long time on the palate with honey and vanilla feeling.

On the nose it was floral with salty feeling and a little smoky. Just a touch of apple and floral fruitness through the ash and sea salt on the palate. Not so explosive as I expected it to be. Still a very good whisky.