Balvenie Caribbean Cask 14 Year

My lovely bride has become a fan of rum finished whiskey and I have been eyeing this one for sometime. Finally pulled the trigger so here we are with this rum tinted dram in my glass. Nose is typical fruity Scotch with honey and almond notes. There is a very faint hint of the rum, but only the slightest sweetness. First sip is like an almond biscotti on the tip of the tongue, but as the flavor rolls back you get little notes of the rum barrels. There is also a slightly unexpected smokiness on the back end. It is subtle and not over peaty, but definitley comes out on the finish. It all ends with a comforting warmth like a cozy fire on a winter's eve. Overall I quite enjoyed this one. Everything about it is subtle with the base Scotch playing nicely with the rum aging, but neither winning the battle. Instead it is a friendly coexistence that goes down nicely with a warm finish. I have not tried any other Balvenie bottles, but after this one I think I am highly likely to grab one soon. Unlike some finished drams this is not likely to drive off a Scotch fan. Blends and finishes are much more acceptable it seems to this category of whisky vs the wild west American whiskey purists. As for me I enjoy them all and you should too. At the price point it isn't a wow bottle, but definitely a nice one to have on the shelf.

This is a nice scotch. It’s warm and so smooth with just enough flavor and complexity to keep it interesting. Nose: fruit. Rich. I definitely smell the wood. Sweet with some spice. Palate: I can hold this in my mouth like wine and it just glides around graciously. It’s not until the finish that I can sense any heat at all. There’s a white wine woodsy taste with some citrus and I guess I’m tasting the rum. I like that it’s medium oily in my mouth. I can enjoy this at any time. I think this will be a crowd pleaser. Not terribly complex but well balanced and really tasty.