Milliardo
Glenlivet Caribbean Reserve
Single Malt — Speyside, Scotland
Reviewed
December 4, 2020 (edited December 5, 2020)
It’s 2020. It’s December. Let’s shut this year down with a brand new whiskey every day. It’s my own personal whiskey advent calendar. +6!
Dec. 4, 2020
I come into this drink tonight with a great deal of humility. I consider myself a bourbon aficionado who’s scotch-curious. I remember when every bourbon I drank existed only as a comparison piece to Four Roses SiB, the first bourbon I tasted neat. It took a lot of time for me to understand bourbon as an abstract concept, within which all bourbons I try now can be judged independently using a finite set of flavor profiles and descriptive language that makes sense to me.
On the other hand, to my palate all scotch is still either “Balvenie” or “not Balvenie.” I have a long way to go. But I’m trying something brand new in that field tonight thanks to a recommendation from @Ctrexman Cheers!
Nose is fresh grass, peanuts. It’s gentle, slightly bitter.
I was not expecting that. The body is one of the juiciest whiskies I’ve ever tried. And I think that’s less of a flavor and more of a mouth feel. I’m tasting a mild orange flavor, hops, and a bitterness—a combo that kind of reminds me of an IPA.
Finish has cane sugar. It’s a quick burst and it dissipates, though a pleasant lip and mouth buzz continue after the flavor drops. There’s raspberry jelly there somehow. Is that a tobacco aftertaste 5 minutes later? Holy cow that was delayed.
I like this whisky. It would do a good job scratching that scotch itch that hits me from time to time. It’s not Balvenie. I’m having trouble detecting the influence of rum that I was expecting based on bourbons finished in rum casks, and perhaps that cane sugar finish is where it’s at. Scotch defenders: hit me with a flavor to hunt for in this whisky. I want to understand scotch better than I do.
‘Tis the season. I’m day-to-day on my whiskey selection, so if you’re reading this and there’s something readily available out there you’d like me to enjoy/suffer through this holiday season, leave it in the comments. Merry whiskey to all, and to all a beer flight!
30.0
USD
per
Bottle
Create Account
or
Sign in
to comment on this review
@cascode @Jan-Case @PBMichiganWolverine @ContemplativeFox I appreciate the suggestions! I’m going to go hunting today and see what I can find. I think it would be fun to do more scotches this December and see if I can grow a bit. Thanks all!
Great suggestions @cascode. I'd also consider Loch Lomond 12, a Glenmorangie (The Original - or Quinta Ruban 14/Nectar D'Or if you're looking to spend a bit more while still being moderately priced), maybe Oban Little Bay if it's <$50, and a blend (Monkey Shoulder, Great King St Glasgow/Artist's, Dewar's 15, or Johnnie Walker Green).
@Milliardo have you had the new Malaga finished Glenmorangie ? Supposedly has gotten really good reviews
@Milliardo list @cascode provided is where it’s at. If you have tried all of those you for sure can say you know what scotch tastes like. About half of them are amongst my favorite whiskies. If I may humbly add a few suggestions: • Ardbeg Uigeadail • Bunnahabhain 12 • BenRiach Curiositas / 16 / Smoky 10 or Smoky 12 • Springbank 10 / 13 / 15 (although the Kilkerran 12 Cascode suggested already tops those as Campletown contenders) • Kilchoman Sanaig (if you can’t get Loch Gorm or it is too expensive) • Glendronach Traditionally Peated • Distillers Edition of Talisker or Caol Ila In this list and in Cacodes’ as well are some very heavily peated ones, which I don’t know you had and enjoyed before. If heavy peat isn’t something you fancy then maybe be careful with Kilchoman, Laphroaig, Lagavulin and Ardbeg. But if you want to start to explore peated whiskies Cascode has listed some good starters in that area with Highland Park, Benromach, Talisker and Kilkerran but those peated BenRiach expressions as well as the Glendronach Traditionally Peated are great in that area as well. I’m looking forward to your explorations.
A couple of scotch whisky suggestions. These are not necessarily the cream of the crop but they are affordable, most will be available as single pours, and it’s not a bad cross-section: Talisker 10, Highland Park 12, Kilkerran 12, Benromach 15, Glen Scotia Victoriana, Hazelburn 10, Kilchoman Loch Gorm, Lagavulin 16, Aberlour 12, Balblair 15, Arran “The Bothy”, Bruichladdich Classic Laddie, Glencadam 15, Glenfarclas 12, Glen Elgin 12, Dalmore 12 Sherry Cask (the new one), GlenDronach 12, anCnoc 12 and Laphroaig Lore. I’m sure others here would have many more suggestions, but every one of these is worth a try at least once on the journey.