Looking for a new single malt to try? Then you'll definitely want to check out Balvenie's 14 Year Old Caribbean Rum Cask. See review below. |
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| Stronachie 12 Year Old | Just saw an ad for this in Whisky Magazine. It's a re-creation of a whisky from a silent still. A. D. Rattray commissioned Benriach Distillery to recreate it (Benriach is one of my favorite all time whiskies, but sadly unavailable in distillery bottlings in the U.S.). The description in the ad says"Smooth and spicy with cinnamon and honey and a long sweet finish. I haven't tried it yet but found out that Binny's has it for $59.99 and have a bottle on the way. Received my bottle on 8/5/10 and immediately had to sample it. Rich copper color. Vanilla and toffee nose. Rich and full on the palate with the subtle cinnamon and honey as advertised. Nice long sweet finish. It'll definitely be a regular on my list. Great find! Review submitted by David | | Ardbeg Corryvreckan | If you haven't tried this one yet.....DO SO IMMEDIATELY! If you're an Ardbeg fan this is arguably one of their best expressions. In fact, it's so good it's flying off the shelves so fast that most retailers can't keep it in stock and don't advertise it (FYI, Flick's Liquors in Michigan has four bottles that just came in.). It's Ardbeg on steroids. While the nose misleads you with respect to the peat, your first sip will just explode in your mouth with a richness and sweetness that just perfectly blends with the peat. The nose has subtle hints of fruits (citrus?) and the ever present Ardbeg phenols. On the palate, it has almost a thick mouthfeel to it. Coal, tarry-like peat blend with loads of sweetness and subtle fruit flavors. And as is typical of Ardbeg, the finish goes on forever. Loads of pepper and peat. This is definitely an after dinner/evening drink that will stand up to the strongest cigars. At about $90 a bottle, it's not cheap but it's worth every penny. Buy it now, stock up on it, because you'll be sorry if and when it disappears. Review submitted by David | | Signatory Benrinnes 1997 Vintage 11 Year Old Cask Strength | According to Binny's, this particular bottling of Benrinnes Cask Strength was distilled on 11/25/97, and bottled on 8/21/09. A total of 267 bottles, aged 11 years in Hogshead cask number 93. It was bottled at 59.3% abv, it's great with a little water. It has the taste of scorched chocolate and marshmallow. Like a burnt edge of a Mallo bar or a marshmallow on the way to becoming a s'more. You know like the Girl Scout stuff. Review submitted by Tod | | Balvenie's Caribbean Cask 14 Year Old versus Balvenie's Golden Cask 14 Year Old | After having the good fortune of enjoying The Balvenie Caribbean Rum Cask 14 Year Old along side the The Balvenie Golden Cask 14 Year Old on an evening with friends, I wondered why each had such a different flavor profile. I have been a huge fan of the Caribbean Cask since its first release. Why then does the Golden Cask (not available in U.S.) tend to kick it up a notch? Here's my tasting notes and my take on the two! The Balvenie Caribbean Cask 14 Year Old (43% abv) The whisky was transferred from traditional barrels to rum barrels to finish. It's amber in color and has sweet toffee, fruit (banana?), and floral tones on nosing. There's vanilla sweetness with molasses evident on the palate along with some citrus and pear in the mid-palate. It has a long, soft, creamy oak finish. The Balvenie Golden Cask 14 Year Old (47.5% abv) Note: Cuban Selection - France. Golden Cask - Duty Free Like its counterpart, the whisky was transferred after 14 years to rum casks to finish. As its name implies it is gold in color. On nosing, it has earthy, grassy notes along with heather and honey. On the palate, there is vanilla sweetness, earth, with malt and cereal grain. Mid-palate there is tangerine/nectarine. Overall, very round and complex. It has a very long, soft, caramel, cinnamon, nutmeg finish. So What Gives? Both whiskies are almost first cousins overall. Why the differences? I feel the answer lies in the rum casks. Classically, rum is distilled from the mash of either sugar cane juice or molasses. The French speaking Caribbean area rum nations (i.e., Martinique and Guadeloupe) use sugar cane juice. These rums have a more grassy, earthy, herbal sweetness. The British or Spanish Caribbean rum nations (i.e., Barbados, Bermuda, Puerto Rico, and the Dominican Republic) tend to use molasses. The British style is very sweet, robust, and intense. The Spanish style has a lighter sweetness and is more elegant. But then there's Cuba! I have had the good fortune to try some Cuban rums. Not exactly everyone's cup of tea. They are different. The Ron Edmundo Dantes Gran Reserve 25 Year Old is made from sugar cane as in the French style but processed more in the Spanish style. Hence, a brandy- or cognac-like rum with caramel/vanilla nuttiness. Very earthy, but lighter in style. My Conclusion The Caribbean Cask is an outstanding whisky, especially considering the price. But the Golden Cask has the same Balvenie toffee and honey notes but due to less rum sweetness other whisky notes are allowed to come through (sugar cane vs. molasses). Yellow fruits are more pronounced as are orange fruits. There is a defined earthiness and overall complexity not found in the Caribbean Cask. Most of all there is an elegance and softness I find intoxicating. In the realm of Balvenie's rum finished whiskies - I'll take the Cuban cask. Review submitted by Mike (3-10-11) | | Balvenie New Wood 17 Year Old | This whisky was transferred from traditional oak casks to new unused charred American oak casks for four months. It is a beautiful bronze/amber in color. There is heavy oak and cinnamon spice on first nosing along with banana and pear. Over time citrus zest (lemon?) and tobacco notes develop. On the palate, the taste has the classic honey, vanilla (from new oak) and spice. There was also a subtle hint of cedar. Midpalate there was heavy oak, butter, and some char. It has a very long, sweet maple and fruit finish. Outstanding overall. One of my very favorites but sadly no longer being produced and hard to find. Review submitted by Mike (3-10-11) | | 1991 Glenkinchie Disterllers Edition, Double Matured, Bottled 2005 | This deep gold, long legged 43% ABV dram has a slight smoky, malted cereal nose with some chocolate notes. The taste is very clean, refreshing, with slight lemon notes and sweet maple sherry with a slight burn. Mid-palate is milk chocolate, sweet cereal, and bourbon. The finish is very dry and somewhat short. The double maturing really brings another nuance to the Glenkinchie character. Reviewed by Tod 11/12/11 |
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