I was running low on whisky, so I swung by the store and treated myself to a bottle. I was really itching to try something new, but not much of a selection this time. Not in my budget for the day, anyway! I wasn't looking to drop $80 bucks on a bottle, so I scoped the shelves for something in the $50 range.

I picked up a bottle of The Balvenie 12 DoubleWood.



It has some very plain, no-frills looking packaging. Don't let looks deceive you! They say it's often the ones that spare you the flashy advertising that are the ones worth the money. The others are, well, just flashy advertising. I'd rather the distillery spend their money on the whisky than on the packaging.





Pretty dark looking stuff. Not sure if it's from those sherry casks since it's only in there for a few months. Pretty sure that's caramel they've added.





In any case, it's really good stuff. I was pleasantly surprised. $50 bucks well spent.

From Master of Malt:

Nose: Supple nuttiness, grapey
Palate: Sweet with good body, gentle spice with a little vanilla
Finish: Dry, spicy, beautifully warming

My impression wasn't that of Master of Malt at all. It's very much like Glenfiddich. No surprise there since they're next door neighbors, However, I picked up honey, vanilla, toffee, and fudge on the nose. I tasted dried fruit, spices, vanilla, honey, and toffee. It leaves the mouth quickly. Very short finish, no aftertaste.

Is it a repeat buy? I'd say so. However, I usually don't buy the same thing twice unless it's really good. (Think Highland Park.) However, I wouldn't mind trying some of their other offerings. They have a 14 year that's finished off in rum casks. Sounds delicious!