I'm with you Jim, I haven't been blown away by anything in Balvenie core range either. Did a tasting with some friends a few years ago of the entire core range up to the Balvenie 21 PortWood. The only bottle that stood out for me that night was actually a travel exclusive that I had picked up, the 14yo Peated Triple Cask. Bottled at 48.3%, it's surprisingly good and by far the best travel exclusive I've had to date. Not sure how it compares to their "regular" peated releases but I'd recommend giving it a try to anyone who come across it.
Great honest review mate - nice to hear your feelings for the Single Barrel Balvenie. Some years ago I was on a private whisky tour of Scotland with business colleagues for 5 days with a minibus and tour guide. We did Glenturret, , Glenfiddich, Macallan, Oban and Glengoyne. On arriving at Glenfiddich, we did their tour and in the tasting/shop afterwards I asked the guide for her favourite Glenfiddich. She actually said The Balvenie... and we all said... whoah, are we not at Glenfiddich, and she said yes, but The Balvenie is out the back.. that door over there... so we did a second tour of the Balvenie!! At the end, in the Balvenie tasting/shop we liked it far better than the Glenfiddich and I bought a bottle for each of the group including the pilot (private plane!) of their Double wood and we all took them home and enjoyed them. Since starting my own whisky journey the Balvenie has slipped into the "also rans"... as also has a 15yo Glenfiddich which to me is only a smidge above a Teachers. Bit harsh, but hey there are so many whiskies far better. For what you paid for that Balvenie you could have a Classic Laddie (or a Bunahabhain 12yo) and a Black Bottle Andean oak and still have change and more enjoyment. Keep up the super reviews. 8o)
Thanks for this awesome review. I saw this bottle in a local shop today and was intrigued and decided to do some research on it, rather than impulse buy, thankfully. One the the best things about your reviews is the "Try This" feature, it really gives me a more in-depth perspective. I'm one who happens to love Balblair. I trust your judgement, based on your reviews of whiskies I've tried (but I still love Balblair😉), and if you say Balblair 12 is better than this, then that tells me to save the $100 this Balvenie would have cost me, enjoy a dram from my $62 bottle of Balblair 12, and catch up on more of your reviews. Cheers!
Absolutely spot on Jim 👍 I too have the Double wood and the 14 Rum cask had em for ages cos I just don’t ..In good old Yanki speak ..” Reach for em 👹” they’re ordinary at best and pretty dam poor at worst and I’ve tried the single barrel 12 and that too is simply not worth the money . Agree 100% Balblair 12 blows it away 👍 Cheers for the reviews 🥃sir ,some of the very best on YT
My first leap into sherry was the 15 year single cask. Good move on my part. Always a good one for a sherry lineup next to Revival or GA 15 ... Terrible value at the time and now it's 25% more expensive. So it won't get replaced. The TUN always get appreciation but you need a ton of cash so that's that's happening either. Thanks for the review. Always curious about an obtainable Belvenie.
Thanks for sharing your review, Jim. Have not had this one ... and to be honest, I doubtI will (this batch or the / a next one). I find the Balvenies I've had ok, but never outstanding, but I'm sure there are people who would enjoy it. Slàinte mhath
I watched this review from work so I can’t say for sure at the moment what bottling I have at home however I also have a bottle of the single barrel. I’m not ashamed to admit it isn’t my favorite either. Your assessment of this single malt is largely in line with what I get out of mine. Im not a big fan at all. I picked it up when I did because the price was right and unfortunately the contents were quite underwhelming.
Balvenie could be a great whisky, I believe. But somehow they manage to produce un-exciting stuff. Seems to me, their cask management really lack something. The spirit, I believe, is a nice one! But they seem to have a very ... harmless approach to maturation. Giving it a bit of water and a lot of time may well help. But, like you, I have yet to taste a Balvenie that really catches my interest.
The recent Aqvavitae poll on favourite distilleries was really telling. If a distillery is owned by one of the big five it either doesn’t feature or it has slid down the pecking order. Balvenie 10 years ago I expect would have probably been a top 10 easily but people are wising up to the mediocrity that is on offer especially when it’s priced high. Worst buy I have had to date is Balvenie 17 double wood, it never got going that bottle.
@@artificial-frequencies I dont doubt that people are influenced in some way by opinions of others. God knows I bought quite a few bottles especially in the early days that were “Ralfy recommended” but after a couple of years at it I definitely began to know what I like in a whisky and have the confidence in my own opinions. I dare say most of whiskytube including Jim probably took part in that poll and the audiences of each channel have a large amount of crossover so yeah the message gets around but would say it’s a fair reflection of people who love whisky and are not blindly brand loyal.
I'm always disappointed by Balvenie and it tends to be WAY overpriced for what it is. Personally it think it tends to be, in traditional form, nothing more than fancily package & branded Blend Filler ✌️
I'm with you Jim, I haven't been blown away by anything in Balvenie core range either. Did a tasting with some friends a few years ago of the entire core range up to the Balvenie 21 PortWood. The only bottle that stood out for me that night was actually a travel exclusive that I had picked up, the 14yo Peated Triple Cask. Bottled at 48.3%, it's surprisingly good and by far the best travel exclusive I've had to date. Not sure how it compares to their "regular" peated releases but I'd recommend giving it a try to anyone who come across it.
Great honest review mate - nice to hear your feelings for the Single Barrel Balvenie. Some years ago I was on a private whisky tour of Scotland with business colleagues for 5 days with a minibus and tour guide. We did Glenturret, , Glenfiddich, Macallan, Oban and Glengoyne. On arriving at Glenfiddich, we did their tour and in the tasting/shop afterwards I asked the guide for her favourite Glenfiddich. She actually said The Balvenie... and we all said... whoah, are we not at Glenfiddich, and she said yes, but The Balvenie is out the back.. that door over there... so we did a second tour of the Balvenie!! At the end, in the Balvenie tasting/shop we liked it far better than the Glenfiddich and I bought a bottle for each of the group including the pilot (private plane!) of their Double wood and we all took them home and enjoyed them. Since starting my own whisky journey the Balvenie has slipped into the "also rans"... as also has a 15yo Glenfiddich which to me is only a smidge above a Teachers. Bit harsh, but hey there are so many whiskies far better. For what you paid for that Balvenie you could have a Classic Laddie (or a Bunahabhain 12yo) and a Black Bottle Andean oak and still have change and more enjoyment. Keep up the super reviews. 8o)
Thanks for this awesome review. I saw this bottle in a local shop today and was intrigued and decided to do some research on it, rather than impulse buy, thankfully. One the the best things about your reviews is the "Try This" feature, it really gives me a more in-depth perspective. I'm one who happens to love Balblair. I trust your judgement, based on your reviews of whiskies I've tried (but I still love Balblair😉), and if you say Balblair 12 is better than this, then that tells me to save the $100 this Balvenie would have cost me, enjoy a dram from my $62 bottle of Balblair 12, and catch up on more of your reviews. Cheers!
Absolutely spot on Jim 👍
I too have the Double wood and the 14 Rum cask had em for ages cos I just don’t ..In good old Yanki speak ..” Reach for em 👹” they’re ordinary at best and pretty dam poor at worst and I’ve tried the single barrel 12 and that too is simply not worth the money .
Agree 100%
Balblair 12 blows it away 👍
Cheers for the reviews 🥃sir ,some of the very best on YT
I always think Balvenie could be so much better. The only one I really like is the 14 year old Week of Peat. Think your review is spot on Jim.
Never had any Balvenie , don't think I will bother anytime soon 👍🥃
My first leap into sherry was the 15 year single cask.
Good move on my part. Always a good one for a sherry lineup next to Revival or GA 15 ...
Terrible value at the time and now it's 25% more expensive. So it won't get replaced.
The TUN always get appreciation but you need a ton of cash so that's that's happening either.
Thanks for the review. Always curious about an obtainable Belvenie.
With you again on this one Jim. Balvenie doesn't, in general do much for me and I tend to avoid it. Cheers mucker.
Thanks for sharing your review, Jim.
Have not had this one ... and to be honest, I doubtI will (this batch or the / a next one). I find the Balvenies I've had ok, but never outstanding, but I'm sure there are people who would enjoy it.
Slàinte mhath
Slàinte Frank. Agreed.
I watched this review from work so I can’t say for sure at the moment what bottling I have at home however I also have a bottle of the single barrel.
I’m not ashamed to admit it isn’t my favorite either. Your assessment of this single malt is largely in line with what I get out of mine.
Im not a big fan at all. I picked it up when I did because the price was right and unfortunately the contents were quite underwhelming.
I've had the Balvenie Single Barrel 12. I liked it, but the price of Balvenie is bonkers now in Canada. I won't be getting another.
Cheers Peter.
Balvenie could be a great whisky, I believe. But somehow they manage to produce un-exciting stuff. Seems to me, their cask management really lack something. The spirit, I believe, is a nice one! But they seem to have a very ... harmless approach to maturation.
Giving it a bit of water and a lot of time may well help. But, like you, I have yet to taste a Balvenie that really catches my interest.
The recent Aqvavitae poll on favourite distilleries was really telling. If a distillery is owned by one of the big five it either doesn’t feature or it has slid down the pecking order. Balvenie 10 years ago I expect would have probably been a top 10 easily but people are wising up to the mediocrity that is on offer especially when it’s priced high. Worst buy I have had to date is Balvenie 17 double wood, it never got going that bottle.
@@artificial-frequencies I dont doubt that people are influenced in some way by opinions of others. God knows I bought quite a few bottles especially in the early days that were “Ralfy recommended” but after a couple of years at it I definitely began to know what I like in a whisky and have the confidence in my own opinions. I dare say most of whiskytube including Jim probably took part in that poll and the audiences of each channel have a large amount of crossover so yeah the message gets around but would say it’s a fair reflection of people who love whisky and are not blindly brand loyal.
❤
I'm always disappointed by Balvenie and it tends to be WAY overpriced for what it is. Personally it think it tends to be, in traditional form, nothing more than fancily package & branded Blend Filler ✌️