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Spotlight on: The Balvenie Doublewood

14 Nov, 2018

Colin Hampden-White, our spirits editor and presenter in Amazon Prime series The Three Drinkers do Scotch Whisky meets the man who created the famous Balvenie Doublewood whisky.

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I remember being told an anecdote about the late great Michael Jackson. No, not that one. The beer and whisky one. He was on a press trip with a few journalists to an unnamed distillery which the whole group had at some point visited before. Within the group there were new journalists, seasoned journalists and all were wandering about, not really listening to the distillery manager giving his usual talk. Except for Michael, who followed the distillery manager intently with pen and notebook. This status quo existed for the whole visit right through to the still rooms and onto the warehouses.

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Someone asked Michael how many times he had been to the distillery, to which he answered “at least half a dozen times”. He was then asked “surely you don’t need to take notes, you must know all about it already”? To which Michael answered: “I always learn something new, for example, I didn’t know the distillery was to be expanded, the wash still has had major repairs so it has taken time to regain the consistency, and they are experimenting with certain wood finishes which may be released next year”.  The rest of the group looked decidedly sheepish.

So I set forth with my metaphorical notebook (my digital recorder), cameras and a keen interest for at least my sixth visit to Balvenie distillery. What was new to learn about Balvenie? I could wax lyrical about the history, the start of the distillery and development, the struggles and successes and the forging forward through the modern age, but for that I suggest any number of books. What I learned during this visit was golden. Having been at The Balvenie for so long, David Stewart has a view on the passing of recent history like nobody else I’ve met there. The people, the distillery and the innovation of the whisky. Twenty five years ago, David started the DoubleWood, which most of us now know as finishing or extra maturation, but it started with David. Some time ago he finished some whisky in a cask which previously held peated whisky, something he has revived, and interestingly so have a few other brands recently.

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Three Expressions of The Balvenie DoubleWood

What started twenty-five years ago now has three expressions: a twelve-year-old, a seventeen, and recently released to celebrate the 25th anniversary, a twenty-five-year-old. Fully matured in American oak casks and then finished for three months in Spanish oak, ex-oloroso Sherry casks, this whisky has great smoothness and balance. David describes it as “a lovely combination of sweetness and spice, with candied orange, layers of brown sugar and sweet, dried fruits”.

The spirit was laid down in 1993, when the first DoubleWood was released and is bottled at 43% abv. The Balvenie have also released an expression of the twelve-year-old with a commemorative label to celebrate the anniversary.

Find them here:

The Balvenie DoubleWood 12 Year Old / The Balvenie DoubleWood 17 Year Old / The Balvenie DoubleWood 25 Year Old

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