Balvenie

Founded: 1892
Status: Operational
Region: Speyside, Scotland – Dufftown,Keith, Banffshire AB55 4DH +44(0)1340 820373
Online: https://www.thebalvenie.com/

History In early 1892 work began to convert an 18th-century mansion (Balvenie New House) into a distillery. The building took fifteen months to complete, and on 1 May 1893, the first distillation took place at the Balvenie Distillery.

The Whiskyphiles tasting notes

Official Bottling

Balvenie 12 Years Old Doublewood (2014) – The Balvenie Doublewood 12 Years Old Category: Speyside single malt scotch whisky Origin: The Balvenie Distillery Bottling: William Grant & Sons ABV: 40% Cost: £37.96 What they say: The Balvenie DoubleWood is a 12 year old single malt which gains its distinctive character from being matured in two wood types. Over the period of maturation […]
Balvenie 12 Years Old Doublewood (2023) – Smooth and honeyed, a very well put together expression from The Balvenie. I feel I picked out more of the sherry component more clearly possibly due to age or experience or perhaps this batch the sherry influence is more defined. A real pleasure to revisit and simply enjoy. 84/100
Balvenie 12 Years Old Doublewood (2018) – The perennial classic Balvenie 12 Doublewood, the perfect introductory dram and still great today. 84/100
Balvenie 12 Years Old Signature Batch 3 (2013) – The Balvenie 12 Years Old Signature Batch 3 The Balvenie Distillery – William Grant & Sons 40% ABV £33.61 from Master of Malt Score 69/100 What they say: A classic marriage of The Balvenie matured in the three most traditional cask types and characterised by honey, spice and subtle oak. From the only distillery that […]
Balvenie 12 Years Old Single Barrel First Fill (2014) – The Balvenie Single Barrel First Fill 12 Years Old 47.8% ABV, £44.14 What they say: The Balvenie Single Barrel First Fill has been aged in a first fill, ex-bourbon cask for at least 12 years. Almost all Scotch Whisky is matured in casks previously used by Bourbon distillers. When brought to Scotland and used for […]
Balvenie 12 Years Old Triple Cask (2014) – The Balvenie 12 Years Old Triple Cask (Travel Retail Exclusive) 40% ABV, £49.99 for 1L Score: 78/100 What they say: The three expressions in The Balvenie Triple Cask series have been matured in three kinds of wood – ‘traditional refill casks’ to mature and mellow the spirit, but not dominate its flavour; ‘first-fill ex-Bourbon barrels’, […]
Balvenie 14 Years Old 2002 Peat Week (2017) – A rather closed nose opens slowly to reveal a monotone and dry whisky, hints of ripe bananas and honey elude to Balvenie’s sweet spirit character but mostly this tastes of peat but not particularly phenolic, a little nutty perhaps, there is clearly quality here but this experiment is not for me. 80/100
Balvenie 14 Years Old 2003 Peat Week (2018) – Balvenie Peat Week 14 Years Old 2003 whisky review: A superbly smokey and sweet Balvenie with a great malty backbone to support it. 86/100
Balvenie 14 Years Old Caribbean Cask (2014) – The Balvenie Caribbean Cask 14 Years Old 43% ABV, £44.83 for 70cl Score: 71/100 What they say: Caribbean Cask has been matured in traditional oak whisky casks for 14 years, and then ‘finished’ in casks that previously held Caribbean rum. To create the ideal finish Malt Master David Stewart, filled American oak casks with his […]
Balvenie 14 Years Old Cuban Selection (2014) – The Balvenie 14 Years Old Cuban Selection 43% ABV, €30 for 70cl Score: 86/100 What they say: The Balvenie Cuban Selection; finished in Cuban rum casks, aged 14 years. Specially selected Balvenie ~ finished in casks that previously held rum distilled in Cuba. The characateristic light fresh taste of Cuban Rum enhances The Balvenie’s vanilla […]
Balvenie 15 Years Old Craftsmens Reserve 1 (2014) – The Balvenie 15 Years Old Craftsmens Reserve 1 59.4% ABV, £65 315 Bottles Score: 94/100 What they say: This was the first whisky in a planned reserve range from The Balvenie celebrating the various distillery crafts. Produced from two refill Sherry butts personally selected and married together by The Balvenie’s Malt Master David Stewart. Samples […]
Balvenie 15 Years Old Single Barrel (2014) – The Balvenie Single Barrel 15 Years Old 47.8% ABV, £67.48 Score: 83/100 What they say: The Balvenie Single Barrel is a 15 year old single malt which is drawn from a single traditional oak whisky cask of a single distillation. Whilst each cask is subtly different, The Balvenie Malt Master selects only those casks which […]
Balvenie 17 Years Old Doublewood (2014) – The Balvenie Doublewood 17 Years Old Category: Speyside single malt scotch whisky Origin: The Balvenie Distillery Bottling: William Grant & Sons ABV: 43% Cost: £89.95 What they say: To craft DoubleWood 17 Year Old Malt Master David Stewart, who celebrated his 50th year at The Balvenie in 2012, returned to one of his most celebrated […]
Balvenie 17 Years Old Doublewood (2018) – More refined and deeper Doublewood experience from The Balvenie. 86/100
Balvenie 17 Years Old Peated Cask (2013) – The Balvenie 17 Years Old Peated Cask 48.7% ABV, £60 for 70cl. Score 85/100 What they say: The Balvenie distillery remains totally dedicated to the traditions, care and craftsmanship of malt whisky making and has been owned and managed by the same independent family company for five generations. A traditional furnace generates warm air which […]
Balvenie Tun 1401 Batch 8 (2014) – The Balvenie Tun 1401 Batch 8 Category: Speyside single malt scotch whisky Origin: Balvenie Distillery ABV: 50.2% Cost: £150 What they say: To craft The Balvenie Tun 1401, Malt Master David Stewart transfers specially selected casks from across the ages to a marrying tun cared for by the distillery’s in-house team of coopers. The contents […]