For the Balvenie Fans... a few notes

[orangedog]

Seems we have a number of Balvenie fans here, which is nice!

I'll add to the thread as I go... I have a number of other bottles to discuss.

Balvenie 10 Founder’s Reserve (Cognac Bottle), 40%

Nose: Salty oak, dandelions,

Palate: Green peppers, butter, heather, honey

Finish: Honey, heather, decent burn for only 40%

Balvenie 17 Sherry Oak, 43%

Nose: Sweet raisins, like raisin syrup, mild oak

Palate: This one delivers… sherry! Vanilla, spicier than the 17 Madeira Cask

Finish: Sweet, fruity, a late bit of burn

Balvenie 14 RumWood, 47.1%

Nose: Vanilla, simple syrup, rum is most noticeable on the nose

Palate: Almond, vanilla, honey, sugary and almost floral

Finish: At cask strength, sugars give way to a long, stringent burn

Balvenie 1992 Cask Selection (Out of Cask 2006), 47.8%

Nose: Caramel!

Palate: Very little bit of oak, jammy, honey with caramel, malty and almost viscous

Finish: Just sweetness! A very mild burn very late, even at cask strength

Balvenie 12 Signature (Batch 002), 43%

Nose: Citrus…orange peel, salty oak, honey sweetness

Palate: Citrus, vanilla, oak, straightforward

Finish: Decent burn, oak, slight sweetness

Balvenie 12 Signature (Batch 002), 43% (Review from the past)

Nose: honey, almond, citrus, and cream, small amounts of caramel and oak in the background

Palate: note nearly as dominating as the nose, spice, sherry, citrus, cream

Finish: spice, sherry, cloying

Balvenie 17 Madeira Cask, 43%

Nose: Honey, apricot, and a madeira aroma

Palate: Honey and oak, dark wine, cherry and raspberry, apricot

Finish: dominating oak

Balvenie 17 Islay Cask, 43%

Nose: Smoke, brine, peat, undertones of navel oranges, mild chocolate, slight sherry

Palate: smoke is more prominent than peat, sweetness still remains, and is focused into floral, honey, and vanilla notes

Finish: smoke transitions to honey

Balvenie 12 DoubleWood, 40%

Nose: Sherry, chocolate, and orange bringing to mind the choclate-orange sticks found on grocery shelves around Christmastime, honey, and a bit of caramel

Palate: Smooth! Sherry, orange peel and vanilla, faint caramel and vanilla

Finish: sherry, cloying, slight burn and oak

Balvenie 14 Carribbean Cask, 43%

Nose: Vanilla, unripened orange, bit of black licorice

Palate: Caramel, vanilla, orange, spiced rum kicks in about halfway through

Finish: Long lasting. Light sherry, a little warm and a little drying, mild oak, rum continues

Balvenie 14 Roasted Malt, 47.1%

Nose: bit of caramel and honey sweetness, oaky

Palate: starts with slightly honey and sugar sweetness, then turns sulfur-ish, woody, oaky, salty, almost overbearing

Finish: oak, long burn

Balvenie 30, 47.3%

Nose: Caramel, vanilla, slight oak, fantastic balance

Palate: Strong but smooth, caramel and sugary, viscous, such light oak for the age, bit of floral

Finish: Not much burn for the strength, sweetness, with oak picking up when the burn does kick in later

[jimb2u]

Nice list of reviews with a few of the odd the beaten track offerings in the mix! I am a big fan of the Balvenie and have been fortunate enough to go through a bottle of each of those with the exception of the 1992 and the roasted malt...thanks for the informative post!

[Stanislaw]

wow, didn't realize there is so much Balvenie out there that I haven't yet tasted.... my liver is in BIG trouble.... thanks for sharing

[Munts]

Nice list..... a bit disappointed there is no review of the Balvenie 50

[orangedog]

Balvenie 12 Single Barrel, 47.8%

Nose: Honey, light bananas foster, cream

Palate: More of the nose! Add a bit of heat, slight bit of salt

Finish: Warm, worth adding a splash of water to soften

One of the better Balvenie drams I've had! surprisingly good for a 12 year old... I'd take it over the Founder's Reserve 10, DoubleWood 12 and Signature 12.

I bought this for a "scotch, cigars, and poker" party I threw (Orion was there) and this was a winner for everyone who tried it. I will likely buy another bottle as an everyday drinker.

[Lotusguy]

Balvenie 12 Single Barrel, 47.8%

Nose: Honey, light bananas foster, cream

Palate: More of the nose! Add a bit of heat, slight bit of salt

Finish: Warm, worth adding a splash of water to soften

One of the better Balvenie drams I've had! surprisingly good for a 12 year old... I'd take it over the Founder's Reserve 10, DoubleWood 12 and Signature 12.

I bought this for a "scotch, cigars, and poker" party I threw (Orion was there) and this was a winner for everyone who tried it. I will likely buy another bottle as an everyday drinker.

How does it compare to the previous, cheaper, and older, Balvenie Single Barrel 15?

[orangedog]

As far as I can tell, the 15 single barrel is the same price as the 12. Both are in the $65-$70 range.

I'm going to have to revisit a handful of the 15 SBs because off the top of my head, at the moment I'd go with the 12 SB. A couple of the 15 SBs I've held on to have been a bit older too... 17 years, 18 years, I think I have one at 21 years, etc. Still, I'm impressed by this 12 SB. Maybe I ended up with a lucky cask. Sadly I'm down to about 1-2oz in this bottle. Just ordered a replacement so we'll see how that stacks up.

[Habana Mike]

I've sampled many of the Balvenie expressions over time.

Was a big 12yo Doublewood fan forever, since moved on to the 14yo Carribean Cask as a staple.

Am enjoying a 17yo Doublewood just now.

[sengjc]

Thanks for the info.

I haven't had many Balvenies but would like to give them a shot.

I remember the 12 YO Doublewood was very nice.

[ayedfy]

Nice collection of notes! I noticed no TUN 1401 though. Do yourself a favour and hunt it down - I had a sample of Batch #5 and it was far and away the best Balvenie I've tasted (although I've only had the 12 DW, 15 SB, 21 PW, and a 19yo single cask from the distillery), and in the top 10 whiskies I've ever experienced.

[TM-US]

Thank you for the tasting notes- there are a lot of Balvenie varieties and this helps immensely with navigating the various ones.

[Kruz]

Has anyone tried the Portwood 21 year old?

[jimb2u]

I have tried both the Tun 1401 batch 3 and the later batch 6 and I preferred batch 3. It had a more complex flavor profile over #6 which was sweeter ( I wish I had more of both !)

Cheers

Jim

[Kruz]

I have tried both the Tun 1401 batch 3 and the later batch 6 and I preferred batch 3. It had a more complex flavor profile over #6 which was sweeter ( I wish I had more of both !)

Cheers

Jim

What is the story behind the TUN? I have never seen or heard about these.

[jimb2u]

Here's a great video. A buddy of mine (Nicholas Pollachi) is one of the folks in the video ( he is the former Balvenie US brand ambassador). Always worth it if you can find a glass...or a bottle would be better :-)

[ayedfy]

Has anyone tried the Portwood 21 year old?

Yeah, but the version we have here in Australia is 40%(!!!), and is really nothing special.

If you Canadians get 43% like the Yanks it might be worthwhile.

There's also a travel retail version of the 21PW that is something around 47-48% IIRC. That'd be the one to hunt down if you're considering it.

[jimb2u]

I had an impromptu Balvenie tasting at my NYC cigar club with 4 friends. We compared Tun 1401 batch 3...6...and 7...Batch 3 was our favorite...though I wish I had easier access to more of any of them. Batch three had a much more complex flavor than 6 or 7.

Cheers

Jim

[zepp69]

Have yet to meet a Belvanie i didnt like!

[zepp69]

I had an impromptu Balvenie tasting at my NYC cigar club with 4 friends. We compared Tun 1401 batch 3...6...and 7...Batch 3 was our favorite...though I wish I had easier access to more of any of them. Batch three had a much more complex flavor than 6 or 7.

Cheers

Jim

[fokker4me]

Thanks for the tasting notes. I find that I like the 14 Carribean cask. Is it any different then the 14 rum wood?

[garbandz]

Has anyone tried the Portwood 21 year old?

This is a single malt you dream about,find yourself daydreaming about,and hide when your friends come over. In 30 years of trying single malts,it is solidly in my top 5,at position 3....Expensive until you try it,then you look around and wonder what you can sell off to get more.