Balvenie 12 Year Old Single Barrel - First Fill vs The Antiquary 21 Year Old

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

Balvenie 12 Year Old Single Barrel - First FillThe Antiquary 21 Year Old
DistilleryBalvenieThe Antiquary
RegionSpeysideOther Scotch
CountryScotlandScotland
TypeSingle MaltBlended
ABV47.8%43%
Age12 yr21 yr
Price£79.99£84.9
Rating4.50/55.00/5

Balvenie 12 Year Old Single Barrel - First Fill

Smoke0/100
Sweetness57/100
Beginner60/100
Value56/100

The Antiquary 21 Year Old

Smoke0/100
Sweetness47/100
Beginner75/100
Value59/100

Balvenie 12 Year Old Single Barrel - First Fill

SmokySweetFruitySpicyWoodyFloral

The Antiquary 21 Year Old

SmokySweetFruitySpicyWoodyFloral

Quick verdict

The Antiquary 21 Year Old is rated higher (5.00 vs 4.50).

Balvenie 12 Year Old Single Barrel - First Fill is better value at £80 vs £85.

For beginners: The Antiquary 21 Year Old is more approachable (75/100 beginner score).

Balvenie 12 Year Old Single Barrel - First Fill

Pros

  • +More affordable (£79.99 vs £84.9)
  • +More widely reviewed by the community

Cons

  • Lower community rating (4.5 vs 5.0)

The Antiquary 21 Year Old

Pros

  • +Great entry point for new whisky drinkers
  • +Better value for money
  • +Higher community rating (5.0/5)
  • +Longer maturation (21 vs 12 years)

Cons

  • More expensive (£84.9 vs £79.99)

Who should buy Balvenie?

Balvenie 12 Year Old Single Barrel - First Fill suits whisky enthusiasts looking for a well-rounded, complex dram. It rewards those with some experience and an appreciation for Speyside character.

Who should buy The?

The Antiquary 21 Year Old suits whisky enthusiasts looking for a well-rounded, complex dram. It rewards those with some experience and an appreciation for Other Scotch character.

Tasting notes

Only Balvenie 12 Year Old Single Barrel - First Fill

VanillaHoneyMalt ExtractFresh FruitFragant

Only The Antiquary 21 Year Old

Old WoodSherriedDried FruitTobaccoNutty

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