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.
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. chardonnay wine
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