Ballantine's 12 year

[Gov]

Any comments on this one? I saw it on the shelf at a local liquor store today. I have never had any expression from Ballantine's. It costs about as much as JWB.

[Bruichladdict]

Can be very inconsistent...one bottle tasted like musty leather, medicinal, another tasted quite sweet and sherried, with a little bite from grain.

You take your chances with blends, aged or not! Hope the fates are kind to you.

[Gov]

Can be very inconsistent...one bottle tasted like musty leather, medicinal, another tasted quite sweet and sherried, with a little bite from grain.

You take your chances with blends, aged or not! Hope the fates are kind to you.

I may pass on this then.

[OKDiver1]

Can be very inconsistent...one bottle tasted like musty leather, medicinal, another tasted quite sweet and sherried, with a little bite from grain.

You take your chances with blends, aged or not! Hope the fates are kind to you.

I may pass on this then.

If you see a good price for it, you might want to try it for yourself, just to be sure.
I was drinking the regular Ballantine's for a while, when I came across a good deal for the 12. I tried it, and was disappointed. I could not find what the additional years might have added to it, very flat, lots of grain, but almost metallic. Might be nice in the summer with a couple of ice cubes.
My favorite blends are now: White Horse, Famous Grouse, Teacher's (not available here in OH), JWB, Bell's 8 (which I always buy duty-free when I travel. A shame that it is not available here in the US) and Islay Mist. I always keep at least a couple handy.

[Gov]

Can be very inconsistent...one bottle tasted like musty leather, medicinal, another tasted quite sweet and sherried, with a little bite from grain.

You take your chances with blends, aged or not! Hope the fates are kind to you.

I may pass on this then.

If you see a good price for it, you might want to try it for yourself, just to be sure.
I was drinking the regular Ballantine's for a while, when I came across a good deal for the 12. I tried it, and was disappointed. I could not find what the additional years might have added to it, very flat, lots of grain, but almost metallic. Might be nice in the summer with a couple of ice cubes.
My favorite blends are now: White Horse, Famous Grouse, Teacher's (not available here in OH), JWB, Bell's 8 (which I always buy duty-free when I travel. A shame that it is not available here in the US) and Islay Mist. I always keep at least a couple handy.

Its is about the same price as JWB, so I will take the JWB. My favorites blends are almost exactly the same as yours, except I like Grants Family Reserve, Black Bottle and Dewars 12 as well. Its a shame that Teacher's is not available near you. That is probably my favorite blend.

[OKDiver1]

I agree with the Grant's, it's just that I had too much of it for a while and got tired of it.
If you have not done so yet, try the Islay Mist. I prefer it to the standard Black Bottle as far as Islay blends. For the Bell's 8, I'll let you know when I get some. Very good blend, spicy and powerful, a good all-around whisky, at least to me. The strange thing is, it's often available here (US) in duty-free for $16 or $18 a liter, but not domestically.
Go figure.

[Gov]

I agree with the Grant's, it's just that I had too much of it for a while and got tired of it.
If you have not done so yet, try the Islay Mist. I prefer it to the standard Black Bottle as far as Islay blends. For the Bell's 8, I'll let you know when I get some. Very good blend, spicy and powerful, a good all-around whisky, at least to me. The strange thing is, it's often available here (US) in duty-free for $16 or $18 a liter, but not domestically.
Go figure.

Yes I have had, and currently have a bottle of Islay Mist. I like it very much, it reminds me of White Horse. White Horse is a bit cheaper so in the future I will probably just have White Horse on hand. Bells 8 sounds very interesting.