Balvenie Single Barrel 12 Year

Took a second glass to appreciate it. My bottle seems a bit higher alcohol then advertised but sips reveal the great rich layers. Definitely a top quality offering. Drinks as classy as the label.

[12.27.2018] A friend shared his annual tradition of drinking this bottle while our girls exhausted themselves at an indoor bouncy house. A win-win even if the scotch had been disappointing. Fortunately, it was far from. I forgot to record the bottle number. Very sweet, like fruit and flowers in Spring, little to none of the smoke, peat, or common tannins or brine. This is a pure scotch, clean and fresh without anything over the top. balanced, easy drinker that is far better cold. If you let it sit in the glass you'll reveal some of the harsher alcohol tones. Solid drink that will also make you appreciate the affordable NAS blends on the market.

Balvenie has always been one of my favorites. This is one the best--maybe the best--of their expressions that I have so far tried. Nose: It's distinctly grassy. Shortbread cookie, honey, vanilla, and cereal. It's oddly reminiscent of a quality Irish whiskey. Palate: Vanilla, bananas, cream, and toffee. Relatively dry, but not in a bad way. Finish: My favorite part of this whisky. The 48% ABV makes itself evident at this point. It packs a nice punch. The oak is prominent. It's a lengthy finish that transitions from sweet to spicy before it finally fades. Balvenie has done fine work with this one. It's strong across the board. Respectable strength, and as a bonus, it appears to be of natural color. It's a few bucks higher than I'd generally like to pay for a 12 year old, but in this case I think it's fair given the higher ABV and the quality of the juice. Well worth the money.