Balvenie 12 Year Old Single Barrel

Not quite up to the 15, but a lot cheaper and pretty darn good. I would probably put it in the mid to high 80s and the 15 at 90. I wonder if it is replacing the 15. What have you heard @PMessinger?

The 12 is only a few dollars cheaper here ($65 vs $68), so it needs to be as good. My understanding is the 12 SB is taking the place of the 15SB, while they will come out with a sherried 15. Sounds like a financial decision to broaden the market and make more money. They will charge essentially the same for the 12 SB as the 15SB with three years less, and then add a 15 which will be sherried, but 25%-50% more price.

However, the sherried 15 sounds interesting, but how is it different from the 12 and 17 Doublewoods?

@BlueNote & @Taco thanks for your feedback I really enjoyed the nuances of this expression. I have not heard any information on product changes from Balvenie concerning the 15yr old so any speculation on my part would be just that speculation. Thanks again for your interest in my review hope to read more of your input in the future. (:

Picked up a few bottles of this single malt yesterday for $60 each.

Personally - I feel the 15 yr Single barrel is a bit more refined (what a shocker), but overall the younger sibling is a nice dram as well.

As usual - pricing of the Balvenie range vary greatly, but on average they're on the rise due to demand, and popularity.

I think I preferred the 15 year old, though I've not had the opportunity to try multiple casks of each expression.

I think in the case of the 12, I liked it a lot more after a month or 2 of air time. And this time I drank it neat, unlike the other times when it seemed to become hotter and bitter with a few drops of water.