Hot Spirits: Balvenie Double Wood 12 Year single malt a rich, creamy complex Scotch

By April MacIntyre Oct 29, 2010, 7:50 GMT

Balvenie Double Wood is fabulous, photo by April © M&C

Monsters and Critics' Christmas 2010: The coolest, hottest most unique gift ideas and best new products for everyone this Christmas and Holiday season. From clothing to jewelry, spirits to skincare and everything in between, here is one of the tried and true finds for the Monsters and Critics Best of Holiday Gift Guide for you to check out:

When it comes to hard liquor, my heart is always set on good Scotch Whiskey. 

But there's a line that divides the big boys who blog and extol the virtues of deep smokey charcoal and wood notes from those of us who like a more accessible tasting amber l'eau de vie. 

There are so many artisan Scotch makers and opinionated connoisseurs of Scotch that anything said here about the very drinkable Balvenie Double Wood 12 Year Single Malt that floored me with vanilla, butterscotch and fruity notes (dare I say, almost cognac-like in the fragrance when I first inhaled) as a residue flavor, will be dismissed.  Someone will undoubtedly talkback telling me I have cack taste in Scotch.

But I don't.  My palate cottons to milder flavors in food and spirits, and I cannot get near Bourbon or Gin. Blue Cheese is too much for me.  Yet I adore smoked oysters. And cigars, no thanks. 

But I do appreciate velvety complexities in well-weathered Scotch, and this particular Balvenie Scotch for me was aces.

The Balvenie Distillery of Banffshire, Scotland has been owned and operated by the same family since its founding in 1892.  The Balvenie Portwood Single Malt 21 Years Old is already a favorite pour of mine, so when I had the opportunity to try the Balvenie Double Wood 12 Year, I was happy to do so.

The Balvenie Double Wood is matured in two different kinds of wood casks- a traditional American oak bourbon whisky cask and a Spanish oak cask that has been previously used to age sherry - both of which impart the fruity hints and almost vanilla-like qualities of this Scotch that should be tried neat, without ice if at all possible.

This distillery, tucked in the Scottish Highlands, grows their own barley, and they use traditional floor maltings, and have a small village of employees maintaining the casks, with coppersmiths and all sorts of craftsmen to keep the integrity of the batches at their highest levels. You can read more about this outstanding company here.

Balvenie's Double Wood Scotch is not a charcoal burner; the aroma is fruity, sweet and has a burst of many different flavors going on all at once. You will taste the Highlands love, and for those out there who think they hate Scotch, this is one to buck up and try and rediscover how truly addictive a good Scotch Whiskey can become.

Outstanding, affordable gift for anyone who appreciates this spirit.