Balvenie Caribbean Cask 14 Year

★★★½ Avent 2019 - 22/24. Je dois avouer que j'avais des attentes pour ce whisky. N'étant pas un amateur de whisky finis en fûts de rhum et après la déception du rye de Basil Hayden, j'avais mis beaucoup d'espoir en ce Balvenie, une distillerie qui ne fait que d'excellents produits. Je n'ai pas été charmé, mais je n'ai pas été déçu. Est-ce un pas dans la bonne direction? Est-ce que je vais devenir un grand amateur de whisky fini en fût de rhum? L'avenir nous le dira!

Me gusta mas el de 12, es mas suave

The Balvenie produces only unpeated whiskys (an exception is an annual special edition), unfortunately in this case chill-filtered and, alas, with added colors: a warm amber color, therefore, completely fake. The smell is immediately sweet and caramelized, very enveloping, with cooked apple, rivers of vanilla, brown sugar (oh well, there is rum, easy!), white chocolate. It does not give you diabetes just smelling it, but it is nice and cuddly. The risk of dismantling is also averted on the palate, with a splash of spices and wood that stops the sugary wave of flavors before it overwhelms everything, bringing a certain dryness to the background. At moments almost vinous, chocolate returns accompanied by candied orange, yellow fruit, still cane, raisins: the influence of rum is not as clear-cut as you might think (or maybe it's that I do not understand a fife of rum, in fact). The finish is medium long, dry (almost astringent), with spices, vanilla, raisins and cooked apple.

Assez doux, pas tourbe du tout Petite note fruitée

A sample bottle picked up in a sampler pack as I'm curious about Balvenie. Nose: Very light with dark sugars and malty notes. A little honey and mango on the back. Flavor: The rum is much more of a background note on this and I appreciate it. Sweet and light with a buttery mouth feel, crème brulee with caramelized sugars, and a little barrel char. Finish: Fairly short with a little bit of oaky char and finishing with a sweet mango note. I like this a lot. Balvenie is apparently my thing. I appreciate the mild rum finish that didn't beat me over the head with the rum but rather accented the finished whiskey with nice dark sugar and buttery notes. Delicious.