The 12 Year Old is the first step up for many a line of blended scotch, and so it is with Ballantine’s. I first looked at Ballantine’s Finest more than a year ago, where I noted that the whiskey’s popularity in Europe and Asia. What applies to the entry-level label apparently does not apply to the line’s more rarefied, premium expressions, since all this time I have been stalled in progressing up the line by my inability to find a bar that stocked Ballantine’s 12 Year Old, let alone something more aged.
Possibly confusing things is the fact that Ballantine’s actually has two 12 Year Old scotches. This review is about the 12 Year Old blended scotch, but the company also has the 12 Year Old Pure Malt. The latter is a vatted malt, or all malt whiskey blend drawn from more than one distillery, whereas a blended scotch includes both malt and grain whiskey.
The Scotch
Ballantine’s 12 Year Old comes in a bottle similar in terms of shape and styling to the entry-level scotch, with the major change that now the bottle is of clear rather than brown glass. The scotch is bottled at 40% alcohol.
In the glass, the scotch has a clear honey gold coloring. On the nose, this Ballantine’s installment is creamy smooth with honeyed vanilla and oaky notes. The creamy texture carries over into the taste, although the flavors switch roles. The oakiness comes a little more to the forefront, achieving a balance with the vanilla and honey. The finish is light, short, and quite restrained.
The 12 Year Old is a pleasant sipping scotch, and while not quite comparable to Grant’s 12 Year Old, the whiskey is noticeably superior to Johnnie Black or Chivas Regal.
The Price
I usually see Ballantine’s 12 Year Old on store shelves for €12 to 15, but in the United States a 750ml bottle goes for somewhat more, being priced in the $25 to 30 range.
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