Balvenie 30 Year Old vs Midleton Very Rare / Bot.1985 Blended Irish Whiskey

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

Balvenie 30 Year OldMidleton Very Rare / Bot.1985 Blended Irish Whiskey
DistilleryBalvenieMidleton
RegionSpeyside
CountryScotlandUnited Kingdom
TypeSingle MaltIrish
ABV44.2%40%
Age30 yrNAS
Price£3192.95£2500
Rating5.00/5

Balvenie 30 Year Old

Smoke0/100
Sweetness66/100
Beginner75/100
Value2/100

Midleton Very Rare / Bot.1985 Blended Irish Whiskey

Smoke0/100
Sweetness69/100
Beginner85/100
Value0/100

Balvenie 30 Year Old

SmokySweetFruitySpicyWoodyFloral

Midleton Very Rare / Bot.1985 Blended Irish Whiskey

SmokySweetFruitySpicyWoodyFloral

Quick verdict

Balvenie 30 Year Old is rated higher (5.00 vs 0.00).

Midleton Very Rare / Bot.1985 Blended Irish Whiskey is better value at £2500 vs £3193.

For beginners: Midleton Very Rare / Bot.1985 Blended Irish Whiskey is more approachable (85/100 beginner score).

Balvenie 30 Year Old

Pros

  • +Approachable and beginner-friendly sweetness
  • +Great entry point for new whisky drinkers
  • +Better value for money
  • +Higher community rating (5.0/5)

Cons

  • More expensive (£3192.95 vs £2500)

Midleton Very Rare / Bot.1985 Blended Irish Whiskey

Pros

  • +Approachable and beginner-friendly sweetness
  • +Great entry point for new whisky drinkers
  • +More affordable (£2500 vs £3192.95)
  • +Rich oak and wood spice complexity

Cons

  • Lower community rating (0.0 vs 5.0)

Who should buy Balvenie?

Balvenie 30 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.

Who should buy Midleton?

Midleton Very Rare / Bot.1985 Blended Irish Whiskey 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

HoneyDried FruitOld Wood

Only Balvenie 30 Year Old

SherriedChocolate

Only Midleton Very Rare / Bot.1985 Blended Irish Whiskey

VanillaMalt Extract

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