Balvenie 12

[korolev]

hello denec,

(belated) welcome!!! i hope this has be a very exciting journey for you as it is for myself and i am reminded of the overwhelming excitment when i first started. the excitment can be very contagious. it has already inflicted serious addiction on my good ol friends.

i actually picked up both balvenie 12 dw and highland park 12 on my second single malt purchase (my first was macallan 12 fine oak). i read that they're completely different in character and believe it'll contribute to my learning process.

there was an urge to take down some notes the last time i had the balvenie 12 dw (albeit vauge) sweet, malt, vanila, creamy, sour plum, nutty. i would consider the highland park 12 a brighter/sunnier dram as compared to the balvenie 12 dw (during a head to head).

i also have a bottle glenfiddich 12 special rsv which i've been experimenting with. you can try adding tiny splash of water until you find your favourite balance (it's not very beautiful on its own).

although i've been looking for my best punches in the peatier stuffnow, there'll always be a bottle balvenie 12 dw and highland park 12 on my shelf.

in my opinion, they're both good and they become better when you're in the mood (for either).

i'm excited for you!

Slainte

[JohnyyGuitar]

TheLaddie Wrote:

Johnny
It's nice to see you make your point without going over the top or being confrontational, because it's actually a very good one.

Darn, I must be losing my touch.

But gosh guys, not liking blends, "it's all inside your head, she said to me" <----who said/sang that ?,
But I'm the same way with burp-in whiskey, just makes me shiver when I put it in my mouth. Although I did get a bottle of Crown Royal for christmas and did managed to suck that down, but I sure ain't gonna' go out and buy another bottle.

[Drrich1965]

TheLaddie Wrote:

Johnny
It's nice to see you make your point without going over the top or being confrontational, because it's actually a very good one.

Darn, I must be losing my touch.

But gosh guys, not liking blends, "it's all inside your head, she said to me" <----who said/sang that ?,
But I'm the same way with burp-in whiskey, just makes me shiver when I put it in my mouth. Although I did get a bottle of Crown Royal for christmas and did managed to suck that down, but I sure ain't gonna' go out and buy another bottle.

50 ways to leave your lover.....

And different strokes, ya know? I very much like a few blends; most leave me cold. For a cheapy, J and B is goodstuff. Have a bottle of White Horse ($14) that I will open soon.

[Wave]

But gosh guys, not liking blends,

I like a blend OK but it's not my choice for a nighttime dram. I keep a couple of good inexpensive bottles of blend, Dewer's White Label & Islay Mist, for those hot summer days in glass full of ice or just an afternoon swill.


Cheers!

[peergynt323]

I figure I only get a certain number of drams before the liver fails, so I shouldn't waste them.

[TheLaddie]

Laddie, I'm with you

Where????? How did you get in ?????

I guess that's where all my Brora went..

[denec]

Hi denec,
I'm a little late to this thread, but.........
Anyway, I had to laugh at some of the post in this thread, yup you are in for a $$$$ time of it, but you can limit the damage. here's my 2 cents for what it's worth (not much)
Don't over look the cheap-o blends, Johnny Red, Famous Grouse, Dewer's, etc....uh, ouch, I can feel the punches coming at me now, I know I have "pee-on", "common slob" written all over me for suggesting such a thing, but hey....I have some really nice bottles of the 'good stuff' in the closet, but I also have some blends.
I enjoy blends, sure they don't delivier the big punch of a good single malt but so what, you don't have to shoot for the stars everynite. I enjoy just having a couple shots or as many as I want of a blend, where I don't have to worry about stuff like.....gosh....this sh*t cost me a fortune and I shouldn't be drinking it so fast, I'd better savour every little drop, nope sometimes I just want to drink some scotch and listen to music and a lot of times I just want a blend, sorry I like them, as long as you don't get the real nasty stuff.
Besides drinking blends on a regular occasions seems to keep the magic in the good single malt stuff, when I drink my single malts there is a specialness about the occasion. So don't over look the blends, and don't get hungup in that "gotta have the best and try 'em all" frame of mind. Take and enjoy the blends for what they are, I find them perfectly enjoyable, and like I said, you don't have to fret over how much they cost, or get to feeling all guility and self-indulgent about drinkin them, or turn it into some kind of tasting ritual, besides they do tend to keep the magic in the better single malts by comparision.
As I like to say "ALL scotch is good....some just better than others"

Thanks for info

I have had blends before some you mentioned...and they not bad...

but I dont think i can go back to blends after having single malts now LOL

[Reggaeblues]

Peergynt reckons "I figure I only get a certain number of drams before the liver fails"

So, with reference to the Paul Dimon song correctly identified by Drrich...shouldn't that be "50 ways to love your liver??"

[Deactivated Member]

Ooh, good one.

[Drrich1965]

Peergynt reckons "I figure I only get a certain number of drams before the liver fails"

So, with reference to the Paul Dimon song correctly identified by Drrich...shouldn't that be "50 ways to love your liver??"

I certainly hope the number would be far more than 50!!! (unless, of course, you are talking in a day)!

[JohnyyGuitar]

Drrich1965 wrote:

50 ways to leave your lover.....

And different strokes, ya know? I very much like a few blends; most leave me cold. For a cheapy, J and B is goodstuff. Have a bottle of White Horse ($14) that I will open soon.

Correcta' mundo....."50 ways to leave your lover",

Yea I had a choice the other day.....$30 to spend in the store, do I get the $30 blend or the $30 single malt, I went with the Dalmore 12.
Yea the White Horse is ok, considering it's just a cheap blend. BUT, I've heard the White Horse 12 years is suppose to be rather nice ...is that true ?

[denec]

well i went back to that store but they were out of the HP 18 years =(


I really did enojy the HP 12, but I was thinking of trying something different


Just out of curious they had Scapa 14 year for $33, I never heard of it, but someone there said it was recommended

But I was not about to put any money down till I ask the experts here =)

[Deactivated Member]

You'll find several people's opinions here. Note the first thread under "Whisky Tastings" is "Tasting Notes Of The Forums", always a good place to start.

[denec]

well here an update just got back store got in HP18 some sort of specail edition with a mug of some sort same price $57.99

Just got home and took my first and WOW all i can say!

LOL

I will give my taste notes in a bit

[Deactivated Member]

Just got home and took my first and WOW all i can say!

LOL

I will give my taste notes in a bit

Take your time and enjoy the dram. You've just stepped up a level in what to expect from a whisk(e)y and it needs to soak in

[denec]

I know this thread is very old, but just thought I let you know I tried other night at friends house Glenlivet 16 year Nadurra 120 proof

I was schocked, it was extremely smooth and tasted a bit sweetish I guess.

I have to say I am going to pick up a bottle of it myself and enjoy it. I think this might be my new favorite

[Elagabalus]

I am a big fan of Balvenie, and have sampled a few Speyside malts.
To contrast the Balvenie 12 and the HP 12, I would still say I prefer the Balvenie. I even appreciate the colour, the rich deep amber, whereas the HP 12 seemed yellowish. Oddly enough I still prefer the Balvenie 10 to the Balvenie 12 as the latter is just too smooth.

Has anyone ever been in such a situation where a drink has been just too smooth?