The Barvenie Classic

The Barvenie Classic

7.2 out of 10

If you think about why Balvenie became famous, wasn’t it probably due to the value for money and that sweet honey aroma of the 12 Year DoubleWood? Of course, both DoubleWood and this Classic abandoned their value proposition long ago, but Balvenie’s signature smooth and sweet honey-vanilla profile remains intact. Might even taste better than DoubleWood?

Taste
7.9 out of 10
Feels quite similar to Balvenie 12 DoubleWood. This is probably because it uses the same technique of bourbon cask maturation followed by Oloroso sherry aging
Nose (Aroma)
7.2 out of 10
Pleasant honey and floral notes with a touch of vanilla. The kind of aroma that promises a delicious whisky
Finish
7 out of 10
Elegant and refined medium-long finish. The honey sweetness gradually transitions into dried fruits and warm oak spices. The sherry influence shows itself more prominently here, with subtle notes of raisins and dates
Price
6.5 out of 10
While Balvenie DoubleWood runs around $60-80, this one is only sold at duty-free and recently costs around $95-105. Would have been perfect at $90..

Short Story

I think I first tried Balvenie around 2016. At a small whisky bar in Hongdae (a trendy neighborhood in Seoul), when I was only drinking cocktails, the bartender recommended Balvenie 12 DoubleWood. Being more into cocktails at the time, I just thought, “Hmm, okay.”

I came back to Balvenie a year later. As I moved beyond cocktails and started getting interested in whisky, someone online recommended Balvenie 12 DoubleWood as the best value-for-money whisky. I remember it costing around $45-50 back then, and thinking back, the value for its taste and aroma was truly remarkable.

Now the price has risen above $70~80, and honestly, I won’t buy DoubleWood at that price. It feels too expensive for what it is, and at that price point, I’d rather try something new.

Then during a recent business trip, I bought the Balvenie Classic I’d often seen at duty-free shops. At least it was a whisky I hadn’t tried before. Price was about $95.

The initial taste is just… Balvenie. Balvenie has this distinctive taste that’s hard to describe – whether it’s the 12 or 15 year, there’s this mysterious profile that seems light but isn’t, sweet but isn’t. This whisky fits that pattern perfectly.

It has the same honey and vanilla notes as DoubleWood, with plenty of floral aromas. Just when you’re thinking “This is going to be delicious!” and take a sip, the sweet whisky taste lingers, but disappointingly, it doesn’t last as long as the 12 DoubleWood, and there’s an unavoidable alcohol note.

Still, I’d say it’s about 10% better than DoubleWood. If someone says “Isn’t that just because of the higher alcohol content?” well, I can’t argue with that…

Final Verdict

Smooth and sweet. It feels like the expected Balvenie taste with 10% added sophistication, but the price point is too high. At $90, there are too many other whiskies you could try, and more importantly, you could sample various whiskies at a bar for the same money.

It’s not a whisky to save for special occasions, and trying it once is enough. If the price drops to around $75-80, I might choose this over DoubleWood.