Buchanan's 12 De Luxe

Buchanan's 12 De Luxe

A review by Tommy Byrne

Overall rating: 8,2/10 (Blended whisky notation)

It’s interesting to see how segmented blended whisky brands are.  A top selling European brand such as J&B is very little known in Latin America, while a top selling brand in Latin America, like Buchanan's, is hardly recognized in Europe and in the rest of the world.  I was absolutely amazed about the huge fad surrounding Buchanan’s blended whiskies when I moved to Mexico.  With ambassadors such as Sting, Elton John, Bon Jovi and many Latin artists, their promotional campaigns reaches a huge number of consumers.   I had never heard about this brand in Canada or in Europe, but I soon realized that in the Latin America upper classes (mainly Colombia, Mexico and Venezuela), Buchanan 12, 18, 21 or Red Seal is the posh drink of choice…with lots of ice and mineral water!  No comments!

Buchanan's 12, also called the De Luxe version, is a gold/light amber whisky.  At first, it has a sharp and floral nose with hints of green apple and pineapple. After opening up, it develops a smooth nose with notes of white chocolate, nutmeg, light caramel and toffee.  The palate is amazingly smooth, some oak, cereals and leather are the most recognizable notes Not much going on there, but I guess that’s exactly the point. It has a short to medium finish.

This 12 years old expression of Buchanan's is probably the best blend in its own category; smoother than the Johnnie Walker Black Label and way more refined than the vulgar Chivas Regal 12.  On the down side, I believe it is way overpriced for a product with no or very little personality. Glenfiddich 12 is probably the best alternative for a better experience at the same price.  To my own experience, this blended whisky is bought not for its actual intrinsic qualities, but rather for the statement it is making in its top markets.