Aberlour 12 vs Balvenie DoubleWood 12
The short answer
Both are 12 year old, 40% Speyside malts with sherry in the mix. Aberlour is the sweeter, vanilla-and-toffee dram; Balvenie DoubleWood is nuttier and spicier, with a longer finish.
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Aberlour 12 Year Old
Speyside · 40% · 12 years
Our rating
8.8 / 10
From
£43.14
The Balvenie DoubleWood
Speyside · 40% · 12 years
Our rating
8.6 / 10
From
£50.28
How Aberlour 12 and Balvenie DoubleWood 12 compare
- Aberlour 12 is £7.14 cheaper at the lowest in-stock price (£43.14 against £50.28).
- We rate Aberlour 12 higher: 8.8 against 8.6 out of 10.
- Both are bottled at 40% ABV.
| Feature | Aberlour 12 | Balvenie DoubleWood 12 |
|---|---|---|
| Region | Speyside | Speyside |
| Age | 12 years | 12 years |
| ABV | 40% | 40% |
| Our rating | 8.8 / 10 (better) | 8.6 / 10 |
| Lowest in-stock price | £43.14 (better) | £50.28 |
| Rating points per £10 | 2.0 (better) | 1.7 |
| Nose | Vanilla, Butterscotch, Caramel | Sweet, Fruit, Sherry |
| Palate | Vanilla, Toffee, Banana | Nutty, Cinnamon, Sherry |
| Finish | Short, Sweet, Vanilla | Long, Warming, Sweet |
Prices are the lowest in-stock price from our partner retailers, last updated 6 October 2026. Check the bottle size on the retailer's page before you buy. Ratings are our own.
What do they have in common?
Flavours picked out on the nose and palate of each whisky.
Flavours in both
None — they're quite different.
Only in Aberlour 12
- vanilla
- butterscotch
- caramel
- toffee
- banana
Only in Balvenie DoubleWood 12
- sweet
- fruit
- sherry
- nutty
- cinnamon
Aberlour 12 or Balvenie DoubleWood 12?
Pick Aberlour 12 if…
Choose Aberlour 12 if you like sweet, easy vanilla and toffee. It is matured in American and sherry oak, with a short, sweet finish.
Buy Aberlour 12 from £43.14 at Master of MaltPick Balvenie DoubleWood 12 if…
Choose Balvenie DoubleWood if you want more sherry influence — nutty, cinnamon-spiced, and a long, warming finish.
Buy Balvenie DoubleWood 12 from £50.28 at Master of MaltFrequently Asked Questions
Which is cheaper, Aberlour 12 or Balvenie DoubleWood 12?
Which has the higher rating, Aberlour 12 or Balvenie DoubleWood 12?
What does 'DoubleWood' mean?
Where can I buy Aberlour 12 and Balvenie DoubleWood 12 in the UK?
Keep exploring
- See how they rank in our Best Whisky Under £50 guide.
- Browse all whisky comparisonsor read our full whisky reviews.