Balvenie 12 Year Old DoubleWood – 70cl 40%

The Balvenie DoubleWood 12 year old single malt whisky gains its distinctive character from being matured in two wood types. To make The Balvenie DoubleWood, David Stewart MBE takes whisky that has spent at least 12 years in traditional whisky casks, American Oak ex-bourbon barrels and hogsheads, and moves it to Spanish oak ex-Oloroso sherry casks for an additional nine months. The whisky is then transferred to large oak vessels called tuns for 3-4 months to allow the whiskies to marry. Each stage lends different qualities to the resulting single malt whisky. The traditional casks soften and add delicate character, the sherry wood brings depth and fullness of flavour and the final few months in our tuns allow the whiskies to marry harmoniously. Nose: Sweet fruit and Oloroso sherry notes, layered with honey and vanilla. Palate: Smooth and mellow with beautifully combined flavours ~ nutty sweetness, cinnamon spiciness and a delicately proportioned layer of sherry. Finish: Long and Warming.

One of the classic after-dinner malts, Balvenie Doublewood’s extra complexity and richness are a result of a second maturation in fresh sherry casks. Great stuff.