Balvenie Single Barrel 12 Year

Tasted at a local bar. Not all that for a 12 year... of course this is tempered by my limited experience and coarse palate. I tend to like sweet and fruity and smokey. Bowmore 15 year Darkest Islay is my jam for comparison. For $9 a glass I'd almost rather drink Tullamore Dew, which I know isn't the scotch but it's a daily drinker and it's almost as good for about $42 a bottle in Michigan. Another speyside (?) single malt I like is Glen Moray Elgin 12 year Classic which is just as good, maybe more floral and a little sweeter... probably a better price. About $55/750 ml here. Gotta check Balvenie prices but it's not common in backwater Michigan. Hey, we're not Hicksville Oklahoma, but it's the Midwest, vs. LA, Boston or NYC.

The nose is ripe green pears and that's even more apparent after adding one drop of water. The taste is sweet and simple and creamy and finishes with a mild warmth that doesn't last too long. Seems like this would be a good dram during warmer weather, but could still easily be enjoyed in colder weather. $70