Balvenie 12: the BEST Whisky for Beginners? #03

Full review of the Balvenie 12 Doublewood scotch whisky, including the distillery, ABV, cask, age, bottle design, tasting notes, value, score and much more!
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[@jorgeenriquerossotto4776]

Phil, I must congratulate you on the quality of your videos! I think you're great, especially cutting the snob things about tasting and evertything else without loosing the important info and stuff.

[@vandevere321]

Bro I really enjoy your videos from the production, to the way you break down distillery products and processes. I’ve watched so many other channels for particular bottle reviews and I quickly look to see if you have a video afterwards, because it didn’t do the job. Keep it up, you are my quintessential channel. Love from The Bronx 🙅🏻

[@annaknapp1473]

The only good thing about insomnia is that I'm early to this video. As someone early in my whisky journey I appreciate your recommendations and your perspective on this one. I'll keep it in mind whenever I get around to trying it.

[@melissa7867]

Always great information and review! Cheers!😊🥃

[@pizzawarlord9232]

Balvenie 12 is just a delicious well balanced dram. A very good beginner bottle as , imo, beginners can easily and instantly tell changes in it with a bit of water. I love Glenlivet 12 but water does nothing for it. Is the 12 the best, well that is an individual opinion but I always have a 12 on a shelf. The Balvenie 21 is a favorite of mine

[@whatsthepoint170]

This was my personal gateway whiskey to Scotch so it will always have a spot in my bar. In the US, it’s 43% which is better. I still enjoy it pretty consistently even though I have much better options

[@nathanwilson4935]

This is what got me into Whisky over 20 years ago. I decided to try it when i saw it in a Korean Drama.

[@THECOFFEEPOT]

This was one of my first whisky experiences when I started drinking whisky in my twenties and the one that opened whisky up to me, will always have a fondness for it but totally agree with your review points, I purely buy it now for nostalgia as there are others out here that offer more bang for there buck and at lower price points with more integrity. However I still dream of adding a port wood to my collection.

[@FirstPhilWhisky]

Exactly. I buy Lagavulin for the same nostalgic reasons. Port wood does look good! Cheers

[@hamo4558]

Great review Phil, and you've picked up on my same observation as the Carribean cask, 14 yo. A lovely dram, but I can buy so much more & better for the same money (... I'm in Australia)

[@FirstPhilWhisky]

A few of you have pointed out that the price and abv is different in the US being at 43% and much cheaper than the balvenie is in the NZ market. Also the Glenlivet I talked about is the Illicit Still 12 year old version, not the standard 12. Hope that context helps. I have never tried this whisky at 43% so I’m unable to comment on the taste, but from the sounds of it, that bottle would be much better value with those stats. Thanks for watching! Beauty.

[@dirkdiggler2234]

Picked this up in holland for 39 euros....

[@jeffmill999]

I was reading that Australia has a tax structure on alcoholic beverages except wine that increases with ABV...This is why down your way whisky is 40%.. I noticed this with American bourbons as well. The flip side is back in the USA they have that 750ml law and over here (I am in Cambodia) we get 700ml... Back when I was younger alcohol was sold by quart or the fifth...4/5ths of a quart basically..When the bottled beverages started converting to metric in the US...mind you that is about it...the liter and 750 ml were born. Cheers

[@drunkenek]

The COSTCOs in California, USA is selling this whisky for $49.99. I think it's a good value.

[@KhronosEDK]

Great vid. Personally I love the Belvenie 12. It's one of the first whisky's I got and tho I agree that with the 40% it's a little tame it's till a very nice balanced drink. I always have a bottle at home and think it's a great beginner bottle as well. Tho I'll have to say that price wise its a quite a bit cheaper over there in the Netherlands (about €40,-) and the price is equal to an illicit still for example.

[@tomdiprose4354]

Agree with your thoughts on this one, by coincidence I bought this as one of my first whiskies and I was a little disappointed with the lack of finish and complexity based on what I paid for it. It isn't bad though, I still like it a lot.

[@davidchorbadzhiev8440]

Phil, perhaps a tad late but I think you should definitely cover Whisky Advent Calendars. My girlfriend got me one with 24x 20ml single and blended malts and it's one of the best gifts I've ever had. Might be a good idea for next year...

[@RobWalker1]

I'd be interested to see you compare it to the French Oak 16 version..thanks for the video!

[@Da1Prophessor]

I have to agree with you on the value point especially when compare to the Glenlivet 12 Illicit Still, which is a GREAT dram. I would reach for the Illicit Still over The Balvenie 12 Doublewood 👍🏽🥃

[@distlledbrewedreviewed]

Add ice and it won't get cloudy because they took the oil out. Oil is fat and fat is flavor, and mouth feel. Great breakdown of this whisky my friend.

[@FirstPhilWhisky]

Cheers! Thanks for watching

[@Matt-tm1yy]

my entrance to whiskey was makers mark and it was good but i tried laphroiag 10 after and absolutely loved it

[@greenvalley651]

I agree 💯👍 thank you Phil, cheers 🥃

[@PezrulezHaakon]

Thanks for a good review. How would you rate this against Aberfeldy 12?

[@miklosmoradachannel]

Please review an Irish Pot Still, Phil! Love your work. Keep it up.

[@FirstPhilWhisky]

Thanks Miklos!

[@waveril5167]

Hm I like it really much, its the best lol. Funny how people think its not good. I like it a lot.

[@karanmehra1221]

I loved this whisky when I bought a bottle a year ago at the beginning of my whisky journey. Not sure how much I’ll like it now?

[@TimHoekstra]

Bought at bottle at the start of my journey some years ago. Was not blown away by it and found it pretty expensive. But it was on the bucket list due to some friends going crazy about it. Turns out people are different and that's a good thing. Gifted it and moved on.

[@FirstPhilWhisky]

Pretty much had the same experience as you Tim. Cheers!

[@daviddavidson2111]

Incidentally, Grant's distillery make the Aerstone sea cask single malt, which, for the money, is a delicious drop of whisky.

[@cooperbowers7940]

Great video. I remember picking this up at Trader Joe’s in the US for $35 a few years back. Became my regular dram as it was great value at $35. Certainly not willing to pay the price now in NZ.

[@FirstPhilWhisky]

Yeah $35 is amazing value! I would of bought it for that too. But I can’t justify it now

[@jgarner447]

I really enjoy this

[@eyemallears2647]

Best intro in whisky KZbin

[@Cosdoc30]

In the US this is 43% ABV for anyone wondering.

[@StevenArnold74]

If I like this, where should I go to next in my whisky journey?

[@astroboy3507]

That is such a great drop and great price for a 12👍🏻 That’s my feelings!!!✌🏻

[@aleksanderberdowicz4621]

Great video. Accually the Balvenie 12 was the first scotch whisky in history to be finished in any cask.

[@billynelson4098]

I started drinking whisky with Johnny Walker black label then my first single malt was an Oban 14 year my favourites are now talisker 10 and highland park 12 and 18

[@FauxFaux10]

Thanks for covering this Phil! As a beginner or converter whisky, where does one go from here? What are some good integrity malts with similar flavor? I have a friend who loves this one (it was the first scotch they tried) but refuses to branch out

[@FirstPhilWhisky]

Thanks for watching! Being a beginner is lots of fun as there is so much to explore. Deanston 12 is excellent. It’s approachable but also quite complex. For beginners though I always recommend exploring the three realms of scotch. One non smoky ex bourbon cask (like the Deanston, Arran 10, Glencadam 10), one sherried cask (like the aberlour 12, tamdhu 12, glendronach 12, bunnahabhain 12) and one smoky/peaty (Laphroaig 10, Lagavulin 16, Talisker 10). Although people can like all three types - generally you will lean to one of these categories more than the others. Hope that helps! I think just try whichever category you haven’t explored much yet.

[@KhronosEDK]

Cap here. For the bourbon cask also one I would recommend the Glenfiddich 14 years Bourbon Barrel (if you can find it, I've heard it's not readily available everywhere). That one is smooth as hell and the 43% gives it just that little extra. For the sherry cask I wholeheartedly second the Aberlour 12. Great beginner sherry cask whisky. As for the smoky/peaty one. If you can spend that little extra definitely pick the Lagavulin over the Laphroaig. I've noticed that not everyone likes the distinct taste of that one. An Ardbeg 10 would also be a great option as well if you want something around the Laphroaig 10 price range. *Flies away*

[@davidowen2834]

Hi Phil, basically for me this is now a walk on by, don’t look at,in the shop whisky . Its not a bad whisky but its very forgettable . Good review Phil, nice one, cheers.👍🥃

[@marcdedecker3400]

Agree 100% it’s not bad, but man there are literally hundreds of better whiskies out there!

[@krupke525]

Just got a bottle of this for Christmas. It was $110 CAD and it’s good but I much prefer the Lagavulin I got for $20 less. I’m new to whisky so I appreciate it anyway, but price is something I’ll need to consider more going forward.

[@FirstPhilWhisky]

Exactly. The price of this one is quite expensive these days. Thanks Clint!

[@alexw3540]

Interesting to hear your views on value re: Macallan and Dalmore at 7:30. Just wondering if you could please elaborate a bit further. Do they lack substance altogether or are they good drams, albeit part of the appeal just that they’re expensive. If the latter, would be keen to hear your thoughts on alternatives that would taste similar but are better value. Many thanks for the video!

[@FirstPhilWhisky]

Thanks Alex. They just are too hyped and too expensive for what they are (usually bottled at only 40%). If you want whisky like them but with more substance and a similar price point: Tamdhu 12 is great, Glenallachie 12 and bunnahabhain 12 are great places to start. They are all sherried focused whiskies like macallan and Dalmore, except better in my opinion

[@Tanner0]

I see you ran with my comments. Glad it helped with ideas. Cheers. Edit: I think it’s just below the idea of what an integrity bottling could be, and it was a gateway for me due to the Bourbon background I have, but I don’t think you’re being snobbish. I think it works well for the post Johnny Walker or Highland Park 12 crowd as well. I am still surprised at its quality, despite any lack of integrity it might have. Edit 2: the price has always been rough. Edit 3: huge hat tip to you for the wild turkey reference.

[@FirstPhilWhisky]

Thanks Tanner! Agree

[@milessakauye8819]

Hey Phil, have you tried Cardrona Single Malt Whiskey. If not, I would love to hear your review on it. Thanks for all your videos.

[@FirstPhilWhisky]

Hey Miles! Yep I’ve had it and even been to their distillery. ‘Just hatched’ is great whisky especially at a young age (still sharp though, but that’s expected at 3 years old). They have released another one called ‘growing wings’ which is a little older than I’m yet to try. On my list of videos is a video called ‘New Zealand whisky explained’. Hopefully I can make that next year.

[@milessakauye8819]

@@FirstPhilWhisky Thanks Phil! Looking forward to the new video.

[@Nymph3tam1n]

Hey :) i have a question. I can find this balvenie for 40 usd in my country while the glenlivet illicit still is 50 usd. Considering this prices, what would you choose? For context, i am a fresh whisky fan, less than half of year and i love bourbons ( elijah craig small batch being my fav up until now) so i like strong flavoured and sweet ones

[@FirstPhilWhisky]

It depends where you are on your whisky journey. Of your newer, maybe balvenie if you can get it for a good price. Otherwise illicit Still. But there are lots of other whiskies that would work well to, that maybe cheaper than the balvenie (like the aberlore 12)

[@davidchorbadzhiev8440]

Awesome review. Although, I wouldn't buy it. I need my 46%... Phil, would it be possible to make a video on the different types of stills and how they affect the taste? Shape, form, material. I have been trying to find more info online but it seems to be very unreliable.

[@FirstPhilWhisky]

That’s a great idea!

[@matthewcanu5225]

Phil, I am new to the whiskey Journey. And as a beginner I'm curious to see if the different regions in Scotland have their own distinctive tastes and Flavours. I am not sure if you have done this in any of your prior videos, if you had to select one bottle from each of the regions to suggest to a beginner what were those bottles be?

[@FirstPhilWhisky]

Hey Matthew, Really great to have you watching and I hope my videos help your journey! Have you seen my whisky regions video? Basically there is difference between the regions, but it’s always followed by a very big asterisk. There are distilleries in each region that break any sort of rule. Generally though, Islay is peaty/smoky, Campbeltown is funky (think industrial), Speyside is sweet, lowlands is light, highlands is super general (hard to define such a large region) and the islands are maritime and sometimes smoky too.

[@FirstPhilWhisky]

Beginner bottles would be - Islay - Lagavulin 16. Lowland - glenkinchie 12. Highlands - Glenmorangie 10, Speyside - aberlour 12, islands - Talisker 10, Campbeltown don’t really have many beginner whiskies, but I’d say glen scotia 15.

[@matthewcanu5225]

@@FirstPhilWhisky Phil, thank you for your thoughtful response and recommendations--this is going to be fun.

[@stuipooey1]

Interesting perspective, cant say I disagree. Funnily enough here is Scotland Glenlivet Illicit still is a similar price to the Balvenie DW.

[@jd892]

It would be interesting to do a blind tasting (black glencarain and/or blind folded) of 6 similiar single malts (same style and similar price) Series 1: 3 nonchill fitered vs 3 chill fitered. Series 2: 3 46-50% vs 3 40-43% Series 3: 3 colour added vs 3 nautural colour. Series Finale: take the top 2 of each series and face them all of together blinded. Just a video idea i have yet to see anyone test this theory. It might just be placebo I have a feeling the integrity bottlings would place higher overall but i think 1 or 2 non-integrity bottlings would possibly beat 1 or 2 of integrity ones. This video channel did Aberlour 12 chillfiltered vs Aberlourr 12 non-chillfitered and actually giessdd wrong and thought the chillfiltered was nonchill and more complex. kzbin.info/www/bejne/i6SofJeKa6qYrJI

[@Jeroenbdesign]

Allthough a gorgeous classic bottle design and yes a very easy and nice whisky... I find it a bit like the 2010's hype "vitamin water" it really is so thin that it can be as boring as oak and brown sugar flavourd water thanks to the low abv, not enough years for their recipie and almost no sherry touch. If in your country going for a stupid high price it will not be worth it in my opinion!

[@jeffmill999]

I have several 15 single barrels bottled in 2010 same barrel and one from 2011...My first The Balvenie...so incredible. No color and 47.8% Too spoiled.. My store has this 12 at 43%. It is $72usd. I can get The Macallan 12 sherry cask for $73.50usd. I passed on the Double 12. Instead, I grabbed the last LITER of Billy Walker era Glendronach 12 for $57..a real gem...and a bargain..

[@FirstPhilWhisky]

That is a gem! Great choice on going for the glendronach

[@andrewbutler7681]

Your pricing seems very odd: Glenlivet Illicit Still is more expensive and more difficult to find than Balvenie DoubleWood here in the U.K. I won't get into the "integrity malt" argument here (I nearly got beyond the polite stage the last time I met Ralfy...), but I echo your thoughts about this being a good introductory whisky: I used to use a triumvirate of anCnoc, Balvenie and Laphroaig as a brief way of showing a range of flavours in Scotch.

[@MrChristopherMolloy]

Blend-Filler with a fancy label and great marketing ✌️

[@mikebridgewater3538]

I agree with how much you pay for a bottle in New Zealand it is very over priced! However where I am in England I can get this bottle for about £40 which I think is a fair price

[@nohandle257]

I have very limited access to good whisky most of the time as I live 100 miles from the nearest city and the small towns around here have nearly nothing in single malts. I found a bottle of this and paid $92 for it. It's drinkable but worth maybe $50. Would not buy again. The Cutty Sark Prohibition Edition I picked up for $33 is more interesting ... if you add enough water. The Dalwhinnie 15 was an abject disappointment.

[@northernninety7]

I had a bottle of this once. For sherry cask scotch, it seemed rather light on the sherry flavor and really oaky due to the bourbon casks.

[@FirstPhilWhisky]

Yeah agree!

[@redsox367]

Used to buy this a lot when I had only one or two bottles on hand. Last time I bought it I was underwhelmed which was sad as I have a soft spot for this whisky

[@FirstPhilWhisky]

Same here. It was great when I was first getting into whisky. These days it seems lacking though. Lots of other great whiskies out there though!

[@SarawakPollster]

hi phil, I think we are on similar duration in our whisky journey. Tell you what tho, I had a sneaky pour of this the other week. The nose is still incredible! Have you tried the 12yo Single Barrel? It has that extra bite that you comment wishing for at 47.8%. Matured in first fill bourbon cask for at least 12 years (without the final finish off in sherry)... No info on its CF or colouring status.

[@mrmurphy895]

I bought this as my first single malt whisky on my bday last year. Will always have a special place in my heart. Be interesting to try again after now enjoying more the 46% islays

[@mrmurphy895]

Update: I went back to it and you’re so right. Also I can’t smell or taste what I did the first time round. I guess trying many whiskies changes our taste buds.

[@Biggestscottfrezelfan]

Totally agree. Balvenie 12 is $100 Canadian i in my market. Monkey shoulder is $50.

[@soumynonareverse7807]

Sounds like a nice one. I've got a question: should you add water to your whiskey glass or should you take a sip of both a whisky glass and a glass of water when the whisky is till in your mouth?

[@FirstPhilWhisky]

A drop is generally all you need. Have a watch of my how to drink whisky video. Some whiskies work well with water (generally higher abv) and some others don’t (generally lower abv). But it’s all preference, some always add water, some never do. The best thing is to try it with and without water and see what you like best. Cheers!

[@soumynonareverse7807]

@@FirstPhilWhisky yeah, but I mean, if you take a sip of water with each sip of whiskey you have about just as much whiskey as water. That's why I ask

[@FirstPhilWhisky]

I never tried a sip of water with whisky (except maybe with ice) as it would probably dilute it too much for me on the palate and I want to get as much flavour as possible. If you are getting a lot of burn from the alcohol through, that may be a good solution.

[@soumynonareverse7807]

@@FirstPhilWhisky so, what if you're tasting a new (new to you) whiskey. How do you decide if you should add water or not? I mean, you should taste it with water to know whether you like it or not but how do you get rid of that it if you like the whiskey better without it?

[@johng.7560]

If it were priced the same as a Glenlivet 12 ~ $45, it would be a good value, but at over $60 it looks much better on the stores shelf than mine.

[@tomman217]

Not sure about the integrity measure. The abv % is good, but you don’t look into the malting to still to marriage of cask process that balvenie put in. It’s around £40 here, but a cracking pour in my mind. Value is massively an issue when talking about where…

[@ricardodelorenzo3954]

Balvenie single barrels are delicious!

[@dksculpture]

Love the 15, sherry single cask!

[@nzmarco]

Ralfy just put up a review of the illicit. I've never really heard about it and then it makes an appearance in your video. Is this a sign? At $65NZ I'm thinking it is.

[@FirstPhilWhisky]

It’s so good for that price. Best value whisky you can buy right now I think

[@drunkenek]

These videos have been so good compared to these two guys ( taller and shorter bald guy). The difference is night and day. I'm subscribed

[@austinfletcher6375]

Yeah, this is $75USD where I live. I got it for my FIL because he doesn’t drink scotch (just takes shots of cognac), and because of the shots, can’t do anything higher than 40% or complains of burn. He likes it, but it’s probably the most boring dram I’ve paid over $50 for. I wouldn’t recommend it to anyone who already drinks and enjoys scotch meat from a glencairn, mostly based on the price

[@utoobia]

If someone likes Balvenie’s style, what would be similar but a naturally presented step up?

[@FirstPhilWhisky]

Speyburn 15 would be a good option. Or Deanston 12

[@utoobia]

@@FirstPhilWhisky Thanks! Much appreciated.

[@hannocapelle9843]

I got both within the Last Weeks but havn't opened them jet. Here in Germany they both about 40€ (65 NZD), the balvenie maybe 2€ more. I do Not understand that the dallwhinnie 15 is 7-10 € cheaper.

[@FirstPhilWhisky]

Interesting!

[@vacateistheword]

On a recent trip, I bought the Balvenie 12 triple cask. Wonder how this one is 🤔. On a side note , the Dalmore 12 is by far the most disappointing whisky I've ever paid good money for. Guess I fell for the overall looks and packaging.

[@DCS_World_Japan]

40% still burns like hell and whenever I add even a drop of filtered water the flavor totally disappears. Which goes for just about every single Scotch and bourbon I've tried over 15 years.

[@Rassamdul]

I agree. I find the doublewood 12 very boring and watered down to a point where it almost feels oily. Not worth the price. I purchased a 26 year old Balvenie at the same time i got the 12 year old. Hope it isnt the same quality.

[@Dan-hn1lx]

I've looked at Balvenie but then I find something that is non chill and decent abv and I just keep skipping it. In saying that I did purchase a Glenfiddich 12 and a Dalwhinnie 15 the other day but I felt like it was worth the money at 60 and 85 aud. If this bottle was 70 id give it a go. I think Woodford Reserve is a great introduction bourbon. Great stuff as usual mate!!

[@FirstPhilWhisky]

Agree! At the end of the day it comes down to value.

[@julietjoe69]

Oh well..I paid SGD100 for this bottle.. waiting to have a sip! 😆

[@korh777]

Triple cask is better one, my favority

[@smashexentertainment676]

I don't get why people complain about the very entry level bottles from various distilleries being chill-filtered, artificially colored and having low ABV. Especially in such completely transparent bottle. Chill-filtering and tweaking the color is used to add consistency in a product line when you see multiple bottles on a shelf. Low ABV - because it's nothing special, just an entry level scotch, that must be fairly affordable for the masses. Not everything distilleries produce is targeted at whiskey geeks, I believe they actually make more money selling their lower level products to regular people, than from expensive special releases. The value should be compared based on MSRP and not how much extra government and stores charge. And on how much work went into making it. In EU both these Balvenie and Glenlivet are priced around the same €40-45. I personally prefer all exotic and cask strength stuff, but I think it's unfair to expect something special from whiskey that wasn't designed to be special to begin with.

[@FirstPhilWhisky]

I actually pretty much agree with all this. Maybe I should of been more clear that I do think this is a great beginner dram. And it’s why I loved this whisky so much earlier in my whisky journey. And you’re right, this whisky isnt targeted at whisky geeks, which is why they colour and chill filter it. In saying all that though that’s why I personally am not buying it as much as I used to. It’s a great swaying whisky and great whisky for beginners (if they can get it for the right price). But it’s no longer for me, there’s better value out there.

[@smashexentertainment676]

​@@FirstPhilWhisky 👍🏽🥃

[@markhughett1679]

First

[@Jeroenbdesign]

Phil

[@TheCotts81]

Whisky

[@FirstPhilWhisky]

😂 you guys are great

[@bognes5103]

Hi Phil , It's time to talk about Talisker 10. Would be interesting to hear your thoughts on it? Slainte from Bonnie Scotland 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

[@FirstPhilWhisky]

Great timing. Got a bottle on the way this week 😃

[@bognes5103]

@@FirstPhilWhisky ❤

[@OhhhBugger]

It disappointing to find out that they use coloring...

[@VinceW187]

Colouring is like people who get a fake suntan.

[@larrymondello7488]

Balvenie Peat Week.

[@FirstPhilWhisky]

Yum

[@hanswurst6742]

definitly not glenfiddich - I've tried 12-18. God they are awful.

[@ErikWaitWhiskyStudies]

Why the hat? Having a bad hair day? Lol!

[@FirstPhilWhisky]

Lock down in NZ. We are a bit behind the rest of the world. Ended now though!

[@a.ericschlobohm97]

Gay-te way South African men are beautiful.

[@absash7838]

Dude add some more light in your studio. I know you can't help the outside.

[@forrestdunton2451]

Oh god, I can’t take this channel seriously at all. The Balvanie is a hundred times better than the Glenlivet 12. And your pricing is way off at least here in the US. Back to Scotch Test Dummies and Whiskey Tribe I go. Carry on.

[@FirstPhilWhisky]

Glenlivet 12 or Glenlivet 12 Illicit Still? They are two different bottles. I would agree the balvenie in the US is better than the original glenlivet 12 as it’s at 43%. My pricing is in NZD.

[@kesfitzgerald1084]

The Illicit Still is a very different beast to the Glenlivet 12 and is, without a doubt, a superior dram.

[@utoobia]

Pay closer attention maybe?