As the
previous post from yesterday laid out, in the run up to Christmas we are giving
you eighteen suggestions of bottles which cost under £30. The first recommendation
was a beer; something
a little unusual for us, but don’t be surprised to see other non-whisk(e)y
products crop up. Why? Because this is Christmas, the Season of Goodwill to all
men (and all booze).
Over the month of December, it is good to have a variety of drinks to call on and you may, without giving anything away, see some pretty usual items for a whisky website pop up.
Over the month of December, it is good to have a variety of drinks to call on and you may, without giving anything away, see some pretty usual items for a whisky website pop up.
However,
not this time! No sirreee... this time we’re firmly back in the realm of whisky
and back at the heart of Scotch: Speyside.
Often at
this time of year, you’ll find various deals on bottles of booze and this
little beauty is one which often finds itself with a tantalisingly low price
tag. The Balvenie 12 Year Old Doublewood is a cracking stalwart of a whisky
and one which, if you’re giving a bottle as a gift or simply looking for a bottle to
serve to those seasonal visitors, is a total winner.
Number 2
in our 18 Under 30: The Balvenie - 12 Year Old Doublewood - 40% ABV
Nose: An entertaining mix of light
vanilla, lemon & orange zest and sweet caramels, mixed with some delicate sherry
notes, dark honey and woody spices. Runny honey is the key with this easy
drinker.
Palate: The vanilla, honey and orange
zest all hit the palate first, back-dropped by moist raisins, some fig and a
big spoonful of sherry which mellowed
out to create a smooth and sweet taste. Very open and balanced.
Finish: Drying cask notes, with a long
fruity/nutty note. Warming and most definitely festive!
Overall: This is a proper classic of a dram.
Consistent and well constructed; if you ever want to seduce someone who claims
not to love whisky, this could be the fatal bullet in your gun.