The Balvenie Doublewood is a mature Speyside offering from The Balvenie Distillery in Dufftown. Aged for 12 years, it spends its time in oak casks before being shifted to oak sherry casks- thus the name, Doublewood.
Sampling The Balvenie for the first time, I was coming from a love for sherry-maturing (owed to the Laphroaig PX Cask). Thus there was a fair bit of anticipation as I bought the bottle. The first thing to say about this malt is its wonderful bottling. Out of the box, it feels like something supremely ancient and original. I would not find it out of place on a Lord of the Rings film set!
Moving to the malt itself…
Perhaps it was the anticipation, but I smelt sherry-like fruitiness the moment I poured some into the glass. The Balvenie reveals itself wonderfully once you let it air a bit. Even if I’m adding water to a malt, I always take a sip of it neat first- just to experience the malt’s raw blast. With The Balvenie, that blast is anything but raw. It’s a smooth, subtle malt that, quite like some of the Lowland malts, takes its time to rise on you. As such, I found it quite different from the other Speyside offerings I’ve tried. There is the characteristic spice, but it’s balanced well by nut, fruit and a fair bit of oaky undertones.
As I spent more time with The Balvenie, I found myself wishing that it came with a higher ABV concentration. I can see how its balance might by undesirably disrupted by a 48% bottling, but is asking for 43% being too greedy? In any case, as the night went on, I soon came to taking it neat- the water was getting in the way.
this malt is always written and said as “The Balvenie,” like The Glenlivet.
Notes
nose: nut, grape, earthy oak palate: fruity sherry, cinnamon and subtle, balanced oak 40% ABV