Balvenie DoubleWood 12 Year Old (20cl) vs Glen Garioch 8 Year Old

Side-by-side comparison — price, ABV, scores, tasting notes, pros & cons.

Balvenie DoubleWood 12 Year Old (20cl)Glen Garioch 8 Year Old
DistilleryBalvenieGlen Garioch
RegionSpeysideHighland
CountryScotlandScotland
TypeSingle MaltSingle Malt
ABV40%40%
Age12 yr8 yr
Price£20.95£19.55
Rating5.00/54.67/5

Balvenie DoubleWood 12 Year Old (20cl)

Smoke0/100
Sweetness63/100
Beginner85/100
Value100/100

Glen Garioch 8 Year Old

Smoke0/100
Sweetness66/100
Beginner100/100
Value100/100

Balvenie DoubleWood 12 Year Old (20cl)

SmokySweetFruitySpicyWoodyFloral

Glen Garioch 8 Year Old

SmokySweetFruitySpicyWoodyFloral

Quick verdict

Balvenie DoubleWood 12 Year Old (20cl) is rated higher (5.00 vs 4.67).

Glen Garioch 8 Year Old is better value at £20 vs £21.

For beginners: Glen Garioch 8 Year Old is more approachable (100/100 beginner score).

Balvenie DoubleWood 12 Year Old (20cl)

Pros

  • +Great entry point for new whisky drinkers
  • +Higher community rating (5.0/5)
  • +Longer maturation (12 vs 8 years)
  • +More widely reviewed by the community

Cons

  • More expensive (£20.95 vs £19.55)

Glen Garioch 8 Year Old

Pros

  • +Approachable and beginner-friendly sweetness
  • +Great entry point for new whisky drinkers
  • +More affordable (£19.55 vs £20.95)

Cons

  • Lower community rating (4.7 vs 5.0)

Who should buy Balvenie?

Balvenie DoubleWood 12 Year Old (20cl) is an ideal first whisky — sweet, approachable, and widely available. It's a great gift and a safe choice for anyone new to whisky or who prefers lighter, friendlier drams.

Who should buy Glen?

Glen Garioch 8 Year Old is an ideal first whisky — sweet, approachable, and widely available. It's a great gift and a safe choice for anyone new to whisky or who prefers lighter, friendlier drams.

Tasting notes

Both taste of

VanillaHoney

Only Balvenie DoubleWood 12 Year Old (20cl)

SherriedCooked FruitToasted

Only Glen Garioch 8 Year Old

Fresh FruitMalt Extract

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