Balvenie 12 Year Old DoubleWood
The Balvenie · Balvenie Distillery
The DoubleWood remains one of Scotch whisky's great entry-level single malts for a reason — it demonstrates what thoughtful cask management accomplishes without relying on extreme age or finish. The interplay between ex-bourbon and ex-sherry wood creates a harmony that punches above its age statement. A patient sip that rewards attention.
Kit Aromas
Nose
Honey and vanilla rise first, layered with dried fruit and a gentle nuttiness. A soft whisper of orange peel adds brightness. The sherry influence is present but never domineering.
Palate
Smooth and medium-weight. Malt sweetness forms the backbone, joined by caramel and a distinct note of clove spice from the sherry wood. The texture is creamy, almost buttery, with Oloroso influence lending dried fruit complexity.
Finish
Medium-long with lingering honey and a gentle cocoa warmth. The oak dries gracefully without ever turning tannic.
- Region
- Speyside
- Cask Type
- Ex-bourbon barrels and Oloroso sherry butts
- Peat Level (PPM)
- None
- Distillation
- Copper pot stills, double distilled
- Maturation
- Matured in ex-bourbon American oak barrels, finished in European oak Oloroso sherry casks
- Chill-Filtered
- Yes
Cocktail Suggestion
Honey & Clove Highball — 2 oz Balvenie 12 DoubleWood · 0.25 oz honey syrup · 4 oz chilled sparkling water · Build in a tall glass over ice, stir gently, garnish with an orange twist.
Food Pairing
Aged Comté cheese with walnut bread
Produced at one of Speyside's few remaining distilleries with its own floor maltings, cooperage, and coppersmith — Balvenie under malt master David Stewart, who pioneered the double-cask maturation concept in 1993.
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