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17th October 2012 |
The Balvenie
announce the launch of a new
addition to their core range, The Balvenie 17 Year Old DoubleWood.
 The
Balvenie core range of single malt
whiskies has just gotten bigger with the
addition of a 17 year old expression of
the very popular Balvenie Doublewood.
I am told that this new 17 year old
version shares the same DNA and the
honeyed, spicy characteristics as the 12
year old, but it is distinctly
different, with deeper vanilla notes,
hints of green apple, creamy toffee and
a striking richness and complexity.
To craft The Balvenie DoubleWood 17 Year
Old, David Stewart, The Balvenie's Malt
Master who this year celebrates his 50th
year at The Balvenie, returned to one of
his most celebrated achievements –
consecutive maturation in two different
types of cask, a process often referred
to as ‘cask finishing’.
This technique is at the heart of The
Balvenie DoubleWood – it sees the whisky
matured for the majority of its years in American oak barrels,
which impart soft sweet vanilla notes,
before being transferred to European oak
sherry casks for the last few months of
maturation, where the second cask
ageing adds rich spicy flavours that a
depth and fullness of flavour.
Commenting on the release of The
Balvenie DoubleWood 17 Year Old, David
Stewart said: "It has been a real
pleasure to create the DoubleWood 17
Year Old and I am delighted with the way
it has turned out, as I hope Balvenie
enthusiasts will be. Wherever I travel
in the world, DoubleWood 12 Year Old is
the expression that people are most
likely to have enjoyed. It is also one
of the whiskies I am most proud of when
I look back over my 50 years at the
distillery, which is why it has been so
exciting to create this new older
version."
The New Look Balvenie Core Range
The launch of The Balvenie DoubleWood,
Aged 17 Years, marks the final piece in
the jigsaw of a new look core range from The
Balvenie which now looks like this:
- The Balvenie DoubleWood 12 Year
Old
- The Balvenie Caribbean Cask 14
Year Old
- The Balvenie DoubleWood 17 Year
Old
- The Balvenie PortWood, 21
Year Old
You will notice that I haven't listed
The Balvenie Signature 12 Year Old or
The Balvenie Single Barrel 15 Year Old
as part of the new look core range, this
is because they are being phased out
next year but I have been told that
there are more additions to the the
Balvenie core range planned for next
year, so watch this space.
With age statements acting as a
consumer guide, added depth and interest
is also to be found in the combination
of wood finishes. The Balvenie UK Brand
Ambassador Andrew Forrester says: "In
completing the new core range of The
Balvenie, we have an engaging and
exciting collection of malts both for
those starting out on their journey of
whisky discovery and for connoisseurs
alike."
The Balvenie DoubleWood 17 Year Old,
43% ABV has an RRP of £75 and will be available
in the UK from 1st November 2012 and in
the U.S. from October 2012 with a RRP of
$129.99.
|
The Balvenie 17 DoubleWood
Tasting Notes
|
William
Morrison's Tasting Notes:
Nose: Rich, honeyed, vanilla and
brown sugar, apple and cinnamon peaking
through and a touch oak spice there
also.
Taste: The mildly drying sherried
fruit coats the mouth. Sweet honeyed
malt mildly coated in spice. Brown
sugar, fudge, cinnamon, marzipan,
delicate oak.
Finish: Long, lingering slowly
drying dark fruit. Cocoa, vanilla,
fudge, bit of spice.
Comments: Another classic from
David Stewart. A must try for the
Balvenie 12 year old fans. More subtle
and refined than its younger sibling
with maybe a wee bit deeper sherry influence.
Get one in your Christmas stocking this
year, you wont regret it a 17 year old
sherry finished Balvenie on Christmas
evening after stuffing yourself with
turkey, heaven.
SMW Score 91/100
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Where To Buy Balvenie Whisky Online
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of specialist Whisky shops who delivers
to you:
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Whisky Focus
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