Review: The Balvenie Doublewood 12 year old Single Malt Scotch Whisky

Where we made the fire,
In the summer time,
Of branch and briar
On the hill to the sea
I slowly climb
Through winter mire,
And scan and trace
The forsaken place
Quite readily.

Now a cold wind blows,
And the grass is gray,
But the spot still shows
As a burnt circle--aye,
And stick-ends, charred,
Still strew the sward
Whereon I stand,
Last relic of the band
Who came that day!

Yes, I am here
Just as last year,
And the sea breathes brine
From its strange straight line
Up hither, the same
As when we four came.
- But two have wandered far
From this grassy rise
Into urban roar
Where no picnics are,
And one--has shut her eyes
For evermore.

The above is a poem, entitled Where The Picnic Was,  by an English poet, Thomas Hardy.  I sometimes think of it at this time of year.  Trees turning yellow, red and even purple.  Lawns strewn with dry leaves, time passing by, winter approaching, kinda like my life moving along.

I stare out at my backyard, pictured above, and sip The Balvenie Doublewood, a 12 year old single malt.  I am ambivalent about the Fall season.  Can't say I look forward to this time of year.  I am also ambivalent about Balvenie Doublewood.

The Balvenie is not terrible by any means.  It's an average to above average 12 year old single malt scotch.  Sometimes I drink it and think it has some complexity of flavor that is on the cusp of greatness.  If only it just had a little more.  Other times, it tastes simple, flat, one-dimensional.  Many people love it and I have had a couple of readers email me for my review and gently chiding me for not posting one sooner.  So, here goes . . .

Nose (undiluted)
Roses, sherry and vanilla pleasantly drifts up from the glass.

Palate (undiluted)
Playful call and response between sherry and oranges.  Nice raisin, orange chocolate.  Some flavor complexity, but not a lot.

Finish (undiluted)
What you are left with is the lingering taste of malted barley and lightly salted, dark, orange chocolate. There is a red winey (probably not a real word, but you know what I mean: wine like) character that works well. 

Add Water?
No improvement with adding water.  Not recommended.

Price Point
Reasonable.  You are getting good value for your dollar.  Competitors include GlenDronach "Original" 12 years which is usually priced lower.  Which is better?  Hard to say.  My gut reaction is to reach for the GlenDronach 12, given the lower price and comfort food level the flavor profile delivers.

Another competitor that comes to mind is the Spice Tree by the Compass Box Whisky Company.  It is a sherried blend of single malts with no age statements that is slightly cheaper in price, and frankly outshines the Balvenie in my opinion.  Not by a lot, but a little nonetheless.

General Impressions
This is a subtle whisky.  The flavorful nuances can get lost in a noisy bar.  You have to pay attention to this dram to pick up all of the aforementioned flavors.  If caught in conversation, at the ballpark, football stadium (go Patriots!) or nipping while golfing (not recommended if trying to improve one’s handicap), then it is quite easy to regard it as rather simple:  sherried dram with some oranges and chocolate. 

Balvenie Doublewood seesaws between interesting complexity to appearing somewhat one dimensional.  This is not the fault of the whisky, but rather you or I and our choice of meal.  I am convinced that if I have spicy nachos, Thai food or hell, a bag of barbecue chips and a Budweiser, my tongue will be so desensitized, that a somewhat complex dram like this will taste simple.  That is my fault, not the whisky’s.  Some whiskies shine through no matter what poor culinary choices you make.  Not so with Balvenie Doublewood.  It is moody, ambiguous, kinda like the Fall season with its moments of sunshine and warmth of the sun only to be obscured by clouds moving in and threatening an overcast sky.

Cheers!

Jason Debly

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