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Balvenie Back to Whisky Reviews
The Balvenie Doublewood Single Malt Scotch Whisky is a 12 year old single malt which gains its distinctive character from being matured in two woods. During its period of maturation The Balvenie Doublewood is transferred from a traditional oak whisky cask to a first fill Spanish oak sherry cask. Each stage lends different qualities to the resulting single malt - the traditional casks, having previously held bourbon, soften and add character, whilst the sherry wood brings depth and fullness of flavour.
Tasting Notes: Nose ~ Sweet fruit and Oloroso sherry notes, layered with honey and vanilla. Taste ~ A smooth and mellow single malt of beautifully combined flavours - nutty sweetness, cinnamon spiciness and a delicately proportioned layer of sherry - with a long and warming finish.[1]
New from Balvenie May 2008 (from the Balvenie web site):
As fans of The Balvenie will know, we pride ourselves on the unique heritage, skills and experience that go into making our whisky.
This month, I'm very pleased to tell you that our Malt Master, David Stewart, has crafted a new release - The Balvenie Signature Single Malt - to mark his 45th year in whisky making, which also makes him the longest serving Malt Master in the industry.
David was born on the West Coast of Scotland in 1945 and joined us in 1962. He became Malt Master just twelve years later, quickly becoming known for his expertise in maturation and his ability to use different types of wood to create intriguing nuances of flavour.
To create his 12 year old signature Balvenie, David married three types of cask - first fill bourbon barrels (for hints of oak and honey), refill casks (for sweetness and smoothness) and sherry butts (for rich fruit flavours and spiciness).
The result is a perfect balance of spice and subtle oak, enveloped in The Balvenie's trademark honeyed character.