Ballantine's 12 Year

This is the twelfth whisky from a collection of twelve budget-friendly blends I have recently evaluated. We are concluding this series on a high note. Nose: It resembles Ballantine's Finest, its less mature counterpart, but with enhanced characteristics across the board. Malty, caramel and vanilla toffee (reminiscent of Jersey caramels), smooth buttery notes, and fruitiness. It has a clean profile with sweetness and a subtle hint of oak, making it very pleasing. Palate: A creamy, sweet, and rich arrival of honey/caramel, fruity notes (stone fruits, stewed prunes, oranges), with no discernible smoke, perhaps only faintly present within the grain component. Finish: Brief. Sweet grains are present, with a subtle oak tannin towards the end. Overall, it represents good value and is perfectly enjoyable served neat or with a small amount of water. I would place it in the same category as Dewar's 12 year old. Objectively, I might score this between 78-79/100, but I have a personal fondness for this blend and purchase it frequently, so I am elevating the score slightly to earn a 3-star rating. It truly offers excellent value for the price. "Above Average": 80/100 (3 stars)

Really enjoyed drinking this one. Need to drink it again, but I recall downing 5 or 6 glasses in a few hours. Great taste, not too strong, feels creamy and has that good vanilla taste. But it's not an entry-level whisky; the taste is somewhat complex and round, very balanced. Great option if you're going for a blend but don't want to go for the budget blended scotch ones. Also, a beautiful bottle, making it look fancier than it is. V2: Smell: vanilla, Starbucks whipped cream, very alcoholic though, latte coffee. Taste: herbal, floral, a bitterness that is almost dark chocolate (maybe because I tried harmonizing with it). Mouthfeel is very round and soft.

Having low expectations allows for pleasant surprises, as was the case with this 12-year-old Ballantine's. The nose is 'Auchentoshan + X': floral, light, and fragrant with notes of tinned fruits, marzipan, and soft spices. Certainly not bad for a blended Scotch! Heather honey, parsley, and a spicy hint of oak dominate the palate; it's very 'smooth,' though I dislike using that word. This whisky doesn't benefit from added water. Like most blends, the finish is vague and doesn't linger. Still, it's almost better than JW Black Label. RATING: 3.0/5.0 stars ≙ 80 pts → AVERAGE

Nose: Sweet, fresh, with vanilla and noticeable oak notes. Palate: Woody aromas are felt throughout the palate. These tastes are accompanied by vanilla, light honey, and floral notes. Finish: The finish has woody aromas accompanied by smoky notes. It has a short and rounded finish. Overall: It contains characteristics of Speyside single malts. Also, because it was aged in ex-bourbon casks, it carries vanilla and sweet cream flavors. The nose and palate characteristics are quite good, but it's a light whiskey with a short finish. Good value for the price. 82/100

Nose: Rich floral fruits, dark cooked apple cider, prunes, caramel, honey. Taste: Sweet spice, chocolate & honey, dark apple juice, prunes, a touch of smoke. Finish: A lasting sweetness of dark honey, light floral notes of prune and apple cider, a hint of brine. This is quite similar to JW Blue label, though that one is woodier and slightly richer, but for $37 a liter, I'm happy to purchase this.

Nose is ethanol and distant floral and fruit. Colored blend, but the taste makes up for the nose. Malt and vanilla build to a nice full buttery fruit. Almost sweet finish ends with tart tannin oak but nicely balanced. Not bad at all! I prefer Johnnie Black just for its more characterful delivery, but still one of the best blends. 3 stars or 90. Enjoy.