Balvenie DoubleWood 17 Year Old by Mark November 20, 2014 December 9, 2014 At the Midlands Whisky festival a couple of months ago I was lucky enough, and cheeky enough, to sample some new-make Balvenie spirit. Balvenie does still have an affordable range. It must not be a great seller if it has come down so much on price. So easy-drinking. The original 12 yr old Doublewood in the 1990’s was far superior to this 17 yr Doublewood. Balvenie 12 Doublewood - 70/100. Still initially matured in 'whisky oak' casks before being switched to sherry wood to finish, the extra years give it extra depth without being overpowering. Learn more about our COVID‑19 precautions. A pleasure, but at this price point – definitely a splurge. Beautifully smooth and creamy with a soft finish; just the way I like them. It is always fun to see a distillery copy most of the particulars of one scotch in their portfolio and then only tweak one factor. This 17-year is a nice step up in richness and complexity from Balvenie’s 12-year Doublewood. Bought this as a present for a Scottish gentleman with many years of whiskey experience! Our special air-inflated packaging is both re-usable and recyclable, as well as efficient to both transport and dispose of. Go to shop ... Balvenie DoubleWood 17 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whiskey, Speyside (750ML) $ 160.09 $ 213.46 / 1000ml. Released to celebrate Malt Master David Stewart’s 50 years at The Balvenie, The 17 year-old DoubleWood is a straightforward upgrade to its 12 year-old younger brother. The extra 5 years maturation have transformed the already great 12 year old, giving it deep vanilla notes and added richness. A pleasure to nose, with layers of fruit and light, airy malt. The Noob’s Top 10 Cocktails, The Balvenie (15 year) Single Barrel Cask #201, ScotchNoob Recommends: The Glencairn Glass, ScotchNoob Recommends: The World Atlas of Whisky, ScotchNoob Recommends: Whisky Advocate Magazine, Book Review: The World Atlas of Whisky by Dave Broom, Lagavulin (9 year) – Game of Thrones “House Lannister”, Boutique-y Whisky: Tomatin (11 year) Batch 4, Mortlach (15 year) – Game of Thrones “Six Kingdoms”. While the extra age is apparent, I would have said it was the same age as the 15-year in a blind tasting. Get The Balvenie DoubleWood 17 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky for $160.99 See buyer reviews and tasting notes. Ouch. Like the iconic Balvenie 12 Doublewood, the Balvenie 17 Doublewood is a mix of whiskies aged in ex-bourbon casks and ex-sherry casks. Registered in Scotland. 43% ABV / 70cl The login page will open in a new window. Balvenie DoubleWood 17 year is a cask finished single malt started in American oak bourbon casks and then transferred to be finished in Spanish sherry casks. I think the 17-year, while very good, is $25 overpriced. Please select a language / S'il vous plaît sélectionner une langue. With Water: Water picks up the nose tickle, but doesn’t yield much else. Very nice whisky; very smooth with subtle flavors – however for $120 I find it to be over priced…Balvenie has also released a new 12 yr Single Barrel that retails for roughly $70 (if you can find it)…Is it me or is the Balvenie distillery getting a little too pricey for what they have to offer? I'll take the Signature and the 15 yr old Single Barrel over this one any day. Price: $20 for 3 50 mL samples (included a sample of Balvenie Doublewood 12 Year which I have previously reviewed here) The 12 Year Old Balvenie Doublewood is one I really enjoy as a daily drinker. Fans of the 12yo will like this a lot. Cask Type: American Oak and European Sherry Oak. It's still great fun, though. Company number: SC138003. I bought it on clearance for $90 and havent yet opened it. Excellent stuff and in my opinion one of the best. From the heart of Speyside comes a 43% whiskey with fruity aromas for those who appreciate the taste of a … This was the last of The Balvenie trio I tried and the Caribbean Cask will take some beating!. Balvenie 21 Portwood - 94/100. If I weren’t in glut I’d probably buy it. I've never tasted such a beautiful, rich and sweet whisky before. Despite being a favorite malt, I currently have no Balvenie in the whisky cabinet and no plans to re-stock at current prices in the US. Balvenie's elder sibling to DoubleWood 12 Year Old, shares similar characteristics to their most popular expression but has a distinctly different taste, with deeper vanilla notes, hints of green apple, creamy toffee and a lovely richness and complexity. Similarly to the 12 year old (which we’ve reviewed on The Dramble previously), the 17 year old has been matured in American oak ex-bourbon casks and then finished in European oak sherry casks. Elegant and polished, with no blemishes whatsoever. Honestly, I was greatly disappointed. The 15 is that house honey pure and simple, but the quality of those single barrel editions does vary…. This older DoubleWood is still aged in traditional American oak barrels and then transferred into European Oak sherry casks. I paid $25.00 for a shot of The Balvenie 17 double wood at the Las Vegas, NV airport. x Back To Top. The world is full of sherry-bombs, The Balvenie is all about subtlety and finesse. That’s a cheaper way to obtain a sample if you don’t want to spring for the whole bottle. If you’ve got the scratch, though, or can find it for under $99, it’s a truly transcendent malt and a straight-up improvement over the already excellent 12-year DoubleWood in every facet. We deliver to countries all over the world! That said, the marriage of elegant light bourbon-aged Balvenie malt with a cavalcade of fresh sweet fruit from the brief dip in sherry barrels is spot-on, like the 12 DoubleWood with a little more of everything that makes it great, a bit more refined, and less bitter oak on the finish. The 12 year old Doublewood when launched to replace the Classic was just a heck of a great scotch and far better than the 17 yr old. Alas, in these times of inflated whisky pricing and rabid demand for special-editions, it should be no surprise to anyone that the 17’s suggested retail is a whopping $129 US. The Balvenie DoubleWood 17 Year Old Scotch Whisky: USD 149.99 / Bottle (750ml) Potomac Wines & Spirits: Washington, DC USA: Balvenie 17 Year Old Doublewood: USD 149.99 / Bottle (750ml) Shop-Rite Wines & Spirits of Chester: Chester, NJ USA: Balvenie 17 Year Double Wood, Scotland, Speyside: This is banana I can get behind! 4449145). BALVENIE (The) 17 YEAR OLD Double Wood 43% Single Malt Whisky, Scotland / Speyside, 70cl, Ref: 17547 Aged in bourbon casks and finished in sherry casks, this version has managed to find the perfect balance between these two contrasting worlds. The BALVENIE DISTILLERY COMPANY LIMITED. I am a fan of the Signature and the 15 yr old Single Barrel. Registered Office: Elixir House, Whitby Avenue, Park Royal, London NW10 7SF, UK. He said it was the best whiskey he had ever had! More time in ex-bourbon yields deeper oak flavors and turns an already smooth malt into silk. This has to be the best Scotch in the whole world. Our experienced warehouse team take great care with every order. This technique is at the heart of The Balvenie DoubleWood – it s We are still open. The vintage year displayed on the product image may differ from the stock available in stores and online. The 12-year DoubleWood has also gone up recently, and is still worth the money but is no longer a great deal. I love Balvenie’s offerings but they’ve priced me out. Balvenie 17 Year Double wood Malt Master David Stewart, who celebrated his 50th year at The Balvenie in 2012, returned to one of his most celebrated achievements – consecutive maturation in two different types of cask, a process often referred to as ‘cask finishing’. Finish: A little on the short side, but very nice honey-sweet notes and some lingering vanilla oakiness. The 17 year old is bottled at 43% and has extra depth and maturity which will appeal to fans of Balvenie. Balvenie 30 year old - 90/100 Balvenie 17 Year Old Doublewood LS20-806* The Balvenie Doublewood acquires its complex yet rich and smooth taste from its maturation in two different types of oak cask, carefully selected by EXPERT Malt Master, David Stewart The price point and ABV will probably keep me away. fees apply. Cocktails: Part One. Age: 17 Years Old. Reviews #46 & 47: Pair of Balvenie (Balvenie Doublewood 17 Year & Caribbean Cask 14 Year) Distillery: Balvenie Distillery. This 17 Doublewood sounds like a delight with its kiss of sherry and balance with the excellent Balvienie house honey. No need for water with this one. I found it to be delicious. Balvenie‘s 12 year old DoubleWood is one of Speyside’s most-loved drams amongst the whisky fraternity, with many whisky nuts (yours truly included) citing it as a key ‘gateway’ malt. I bought a sample bottle of this recently and I absolutely loved it. Several years in ex-sherry would, I believe, wash out the distillery characteristics of heather and honey and would yield only a bland fruit-punch of a malt. A rest in the glass releases more fresh banana and an undercurrent of oatmeal with brown sugar. Full of flavor, the 43% gives it that really nice refreshing/cooling feeling on the finish which I love. There is just too much bourbon there to make me appreciate it’s complexity. Balvenie Doublewood 17 Year Old Single Malt Whisky 750ml, SCOTLAND, SPEYSIDE $ 149.83 Balvenie DoubleWood 17 year old review. Naturally, as this is a Balvenie, it's very good oak, with big creamy vanilla, polished wood, a bite of oakspices (clove, cinnamon) and a hint of dry liquorice. Balvenie 14 Year OldWeek of Peat Story No.2, Balvenie 12 Year OldSingle Barrel First Fill, Balvenie The Edge of Burnhead Wood19 Year Old Stories. Sweet and fruity with a touch of fruit polish. I certainly have vivid memories of it being poured liberally in my Oddbins days and remember it as a very important step on the journey to understanding what the single malt fuss was about. I have been trying like crazy to acquire a bottle of the single barrel but, to no prevail around here. “Doublewood” is a term used by Balvenie to note that after almost 17 years spent in ex-bourbon casks, the whisky is then moved to European Oak ex-sherry casks for its final period of maturation. Balvenie remains one of my favorite distilleries, but their pricing has become distasteful. I love Balvenie’s honeyed flavor profile. Region: Speyside. This double cask maturation offers a sweet honey and vanilla palate with a spicy nose and finish. To craft The Balvenie DoubleWood 17 year old single malt whisky Malt Master David C. Stewart MBE returned to one of his most celebrated achievements – consecutive maturation in two different types of cask, a process often referred to as ‘cask finishing’. Very appealing. I live in Australia and 4 years ago at Dan’s & the 17DW was around $120. While it sounds tasty, it just doesn’t seem like a good value when the Single Barrel is roughly half the price. Yes, the price may be a little out of order, but I’ve spent that much on a lot of other things that didn’t give me as much pleasure. You have the right to cancel your order at any time without being charged for the goods ordered within 14 days of purchasing (other than for perishable or personalised products or those products that have been specified as non-returnable). All Rights Reserved. So, like the younger offering but with an additional five years of maturity. Auction. Glendronach 15 Year Old RevivalSherry Cask. Registered in England and Wales (Company No. Registered office: The Balvenie Maltings, Dufftown, Banffshire, AB55 4BB. Balvenie 14 Carribean Cask - 88/100. The DoubleWood 17 Year Old is an elder sibling to DoubleWood 12 Year Old and shares its honeyed, spicy characteristics, but it is distinctly different, with deeper vanilla notes, hints of green apple, creamy toffee and a striking richness and complexity. Balvenie’s 12 Year old Doublewood expression has come to epitomise the classic, easy-drinking style that triggers an element of nostalgia toward early drinking careers. Balvenie Malt Master David Stewart presents the Balvenie 17 Doublewood, a 17-year-old whiskey with some surprising flavors that we wanted to look closely at. Medium-length, gently drying with a kick of spice. Skeptics might wail about the relatively brief sherry maturation (considering some malts, such as The Macallan and GlenDronach are aged exclusively in sherry for their entire maturation periods), but it’s my opinion that The Balvenie’s house style is so light, subtle, and elegant that it needs only a dip in sherry to realize its full potential. Now the sherry influence is more prominent with cakey dried fruit (date, raisin) mingling with apple pie aromas. The Balvenie, still one of my favorite distilleries, recently launched a big-brother expression to go with their wildly popular 12 year-old DoubleWood. This new 17 yr old upgrade is bait too delicate for me. As it stands I’ll probably buy the 15 single cask, when I next hear about a particularly stand out cask. English | Français. Years ago I had a bottle of the basic 12-year old Balvenie Doublewood, and I thought it was superb. The Whisky Exchange is the registered trademark of Speciality Drinks Limited. Polished wood, cake spice, Danish pastries, dessicated coconut, vanilla cream, Cadbury’s Fruit and Nut bars, and a little bit of tropical fruit at the back – mango, maybe?. Welcome / Bienvenue. Whiskey: Anthony Bourdain | The Balvenie Doublewood 17 Year Old Single Malt Scotch. sales tax. Patisserie aromas, in fact this resembles nothing so much as a good-quality doughnut, complete with icing sugar & gooey strawberry jam; then a heavy dollop of vanilla and the first hint of sherry, in the form of raisin ice cream drizzled with honey, and of course oak - fresh timber and autumn leaves. The DoubleWood 17 year old is an elder sibling to DoubleWood 12 year old and shares its honeyed, spicy characteristics, but it is distinctly different, with deeper vanilla notes, hints of green apple, creamy toffee and a striking richness and complexity. We want you to be 100% happy with your order and it is our aim to ensure that all products supplied to all customers arrive in perfect condition. With this 17 year old DoubleWood encroaching on £100 it might be worth saving up for a real treat, as I do remember this particular whisky being much better previously than it was at this specific tasting. Balvenie 17 Peated Cask - 90/100. Palate: Medium-bodied. ex. More time in ex-bourbon yields deeper oak flavors and turns an already smooth malt into silk. The final, and oldest Balvenie in our review of the core range. Still initially matured in 'whisky oak' casks before being switched to sherry wood to finish, the extra years give it extra depth without being overpowering. Thanks Tori at Maloney & Fox! It's far too well-mannered to be a moody teenager, but Doublewood 17yo shows significantly greater depth of character than its happy-go-lucky younger sibling. I would recommend it to anyone who appreciates a good Whisky. It was strangely disappointing, though I am working away at it like a man and I will learn to like it better. I have had Balvenie 17year old once before when on holiday in the West Highlands of Scotland. Balvenie 17 years old Double Wood - Original bottling - 700ml $ 113.95 $ 162.79 / 1000ml. It’s only once you hit 17years and up that the price starts to hit the $100’s which isn’t much different than other distilleries! Admittedly very smooth through and through, it just gives me a thirty dollar bourbon with less harsh alcohol burn on the palate and finish. The world is full of sherry-bombs, The Balvenie is all about subtlety and finesse. The 17 year old Balvenie DoubleWood is a recent addition and an upgrade to the hugely popular 12 year old by the same name – one of the most iconic Speyside whiskies. I'm getting a lot of burnt sugar flavours from it. Balvenie 17 New Wood - 90/100. You can also select express delivery, or pick a specific delivery date, at checkout. Balvenie’s big brother to the 12 year old Doublewood was launched in 2012 to mark the 50 th Birthday of their Master Distillery David Stewart. Our boxes are made of 100% recyclable cardboard. WOW, you won’t be disappointed with this! I have been very happy with the direction this site has pointed me and was sore faced after the 12 so, after this review, am not looking towards the this dram. Review Sample. Another fantastic invention from the workbench of Balvenie Malt Master David Stewart – a 17-year-old version of the bestselling DoubleWood. The only balvenie I have been privileged too so far in my journey is the 12 year double barrel, which where I am living is a whopping 67.99 (I know, fml right). The 12 doublewood, 12 signature, 15 single cask, and 14 Caribbean cask are all in the $40-$60 range. Evolves into creamy grain and graham crackers. I have seen a number of comments now saying it didn’t deserve it’s pricepoint. The Macallan 12 is only six dollars more, and to me is eons ahead of this dram. Lingering rich caramel turns slowly to good old wood. Given that I prefer Balvenie 15 SB by a wide margin to 12 DW, I’d consider a cross of the 2 to be a downgrade to SB. Copyright © The Whisky Exchange 1999-2021. We reviewed the Balvenie 12 Doublewood a few months back and the consensus was that it’s a pleasant whisky but just lacking that little extra character. So why the price premium? Released to celebrate Malt Master David Stewart’s 50 years at The Balvenie, The 17 year-old DoubleWood is a straightforward upgrade to its 12 year-old younger brother. As specialists in glass packaging they ensure that your items stay safe and secure in transit. Leaves you with an impression of quality and finesse. It is a fine malt but? A hit. Fruit on the entry, with tart apples and cherries again. After logging in you can close it and return to this page. An additional 5 years of maturation in traditional ex-Bourbon oak casks, followed by a similar short (less than a year) dunk in ex-sherry European oak, gives a perfect balance of fruit, oak, and malt. Balvenie 15 Single Cask - 94/100. So I was excited to try this version which is the same juice but aged for an extra 5 years. So I thought I'd plump for for something a little older. I like my malts a bit syrupy and this one isn’t that for sure. Another fantastic invention from the workbench of Balvenie Malt Master David Stewart – a 17-year-old version of the bestselling DoubleWood. Nose: Juicy black cherry, honey lozenges, apple cider, light heathery florals, and a very faint raw green banana. i think i saw it there today for the mid $80 range. What You Will Get: 1 Bottle of Balvenie 12 Years old Doublewood Volume: 700ml Alcohol Percentage: 40% Type: Single Malt whisky (Scotch Whisky) DESCRIPTION The Balvenie DoubleWood is a 12 year old single malt which gains its distinctive character from being … Balvenie 14 Golden Cask - 91/100. Overall: Tastes to me like a cross between the usual 12 year-old DoubleWood and the 15 single-barrel. Oily mouthfeel, soft sweet caramel, lightly spiced wood, good apple pie (stewed apples, lightly sweetened pastry and a few raisins thrown in for good measure), a cinnamon tingle and a hint of Mars Milk. I’ve been thinking the same thing. 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