The Balvenie Single Barrel 12 Year Old Scotch Whisky
The Balvenie Single Barrel 12 Year Old Scotch Whisky is a 95.6-proof (47.8% ABV), 750mL single malt matured for a full 12 years entirely in first-fill ex-bourbon American oak barrels, bottled non-chill-filtered from individually hand-selected single casks. Each barrel yields no more than 300 individually numbered bottles — no two casks are identical. It is available to order online at Del Mesa Liquor, San Diego, CA.
- ABV: 47.8% (95.6 proof) — non-chill-filtered
- Size: 750mL
- Age: 12 years in first-fill ex-bourbon American oak barrels
- Origin: The Balvenie Distillery, Dufftown, Speyside, Scotland
- Bottling: single cask, max 300 individually numbered bottles per barrel
- Craft: Balvenie practices all five Rare Crafts — barley growing, floor malting, coopering, coppersmithing, hand-filling casks
One Cask, Three Hundred Bottles, Nothing Else
The Single Barrel range — relaunched in late 2024 after a stock-driven hiatus — is Balvenie's purest statement of its bourbon-cask program: each cask is individually sampled and hand-selected by the Malt Master, and the whisky goes into the bottle exactly as the cask gave it, unblended and un-chill-filtered at 47.8%. At a distillery that still grows its own barley, floor-malts it, and repairs its own casks in an on-site cooperage, a single first-fill ex-bourbon barrel is where you taste the house style at its most direct. Enthusiasts of Scotch whisky prize these releases for exactly that reason: every bottle carries its cask number, and every cask is a one-off.
Tasting Notes
Honeyed and creamy with classic first-fill bourbon-cask character: vanilla custard, ripe orchard fruit, and toasted oak, with Balvenie's signature honey and cinnamon warmth. The 47.8% bottling strength adds depth and texture — full-bodied, with a long, gently spiced finish. A drop of water opens apricot and fresh malt.
How to Enjoy
Neat in a nosing glass, or with a teaspoon of water to open the cask character. Too distinctive for mixing — this is a contemplative pour. Pair with aged cheddar or shortbread.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is every bottle really from one barrel?
Yes — each bottle is drawn from a single hand-selected cask, individually numbered, with a maximum of 300 bottles per barrel.
Why was it discontinued and brought back?
The range was paused around 2022 due to stock constraints and relaunched in late 2024 after exceptional casks were identified.
Is it chill-filtered?
No — it is bottled non-chill-filtered at 47.8% ABV to preserve the cask character.
Explore more The Balvenie single malts and our full Scotch whisky collection. Single casks don't last — order the 12 Year Old online from Del Mesa Liquor in San Diego, CA.
