Spirit Name:
Spirit Type:
|
Ballentine’s 12
Year Old
Blended whisky
|
Score:
|
86/100
 |
ABV:
|
40%
|
Region:
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Scotland
|
Body:
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Medium
|
Intensity:
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Medium
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Texture:
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Medium-light
|
Balance:
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Good
|
Best served:
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Neat
|
Theme(s):
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Floral, wet dough, mild new spirit, sweetened vine tomatoes, sherry,
banana confectionery, honey, hot chocolate, marshmallow, croissant, vanilla, prunes
in syrup
|
Summary:
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Soft but with some spark, the cask influence interacts with the oak
and grain to create a show of dessert and fruit interlaced with some dough
and the finish of prune in syrup
|
Tasting notes:
|
Nose: An initial bouquet of flowers is interrupted by
the occasional gust carrying mild grassy notes. The smell of wet dough is
there, indicating that the new spirit still shines and that all the wrinkles
have not yet been ironed out by the oak. The strangest smell develops, vine
tomatoes still attached to the stem. This may make my grandfather proud, but
I can smell the fresh tomatoes in the garden as it develops into ketchup – all the other character
interacts with the cask influence to produce this distinct aroma. Then a true
childhood memory arises in the form of banana lollies that intermingle with
shavings of dark chocolate as marshmallows slowly melt in the heat of a vanilla rich hot
chocolate with honey. The nose on this whisky is something special!
Taste: Mild, mouth-filling and wholesome. The flints of
grain spark within the oak inspired chocolate croissant as the youthfulness
on the nose does not transfer to the palate. The texture quickly becomes
watery, though, after a promising start. This whisky is so frustrating,
because it is so wonderful in some ways but disappointing in others. Not the
most complex taste, the sweet distillate brings mild licorice with lashings
of cocoa and vanilla from the oak as a calming green fruit note shines.
Finish: Prunes in syrup sit with the mild burn of alcohol
adding some fire.
|
Likes:
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Sparks of complexity in some areas
|
Dislikes:
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Inconsistent, with some new spirit tainting the overall experience
|
Price:
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$44 (Aus), £32 (UK)
|
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