TL;DR Smooth and creamy Balvenie where the tropical sweetness leads the way.
The Balvenie
Caribbean Cask 14
Age: 14
Abv. 43% vol
The Balvenie Caribbean Cask 14 is aged in traditional oak whisky casks for 14 years and after that then finished in casks that previously held Caribbean rum. Balvenie´s Malt Master David C Stewart MBE created his own blend of select West Indian rums that were put into American oak casks. Once he felt that the casks were ready the rum was replaced with the 14 year old spirit.
Nose: Honey and perfume. Some citrus notes, maybe orange. Toffee and mild milk chocolate with some vanilla. Tropical sweetness on the nose, I would say the rum is quite clear after nosing this quite a while. It's like a mix between pineapple and something else. Maybe a honey covered pineapple. Pleasent nose, no alcohol burn and quite a lot going on even though had some troubles to get past the sweetness at first.
Taste: There's that pineapple again. It's having a little dance with vanilla and toffee who brings the soft creaminess in the game like it's the last slow dance on the nightclub, smooth and nice. Then the perfume notes mix things up and like bouncer it takes the pineapple, vanilla and toffee with their slow dancing out of the dance floor and BOOM, new flavours are ready to jump in. There seems to be the some spices creating a little zing with the perfume.
After: Bitter and spicy start for the after taste which is quite surprising after all the sweetness on the nose and taste. Then it returns to the sweet and honey for a while with a sudden jump from the tropical fruits to spice things up. After those it turns to oak and bitter notes again. More like tobacco leafs than super dark chocolate kind of bitter.
I like the Balvenie Double Wood and there's of course a lot of same going than in this one (no shit, Sherlock). The Balvenie's essence is creamy and honeyed and in this one, the sweetness of the rum is in leading the way like the flower thrower in weddings followed by the actual stars (the Balvenie essence) of the show. The sweetness gives it the summer vibe with sweet perfume notes. This is one for the hot summer days when you feel like you're in the Caribbean, flowers are blooming and life is just good.
84/100
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