The Balvenie 14yr Caribbean Cask

[jwise]

I just found a bottle of the Balvenie 14yr Caribbean Cask. It is extra-matured in rum casks.



Here's a review I put together on it:

On the nose, this whisky is very appealing, offering honey, pepper, and the wonderful aroma of a big whisky. Perhaps just a whiff of peat, but hardly noticeable at first. Not very complex on the nose, but straightforward GOOD!

On the tongue, this is a very nice whisky, offering peppery notes and richness. The little bit of peat showed up, but very faint. Definitely spicy, unlike the 12yr Doublewood or 21yr Portwood. Although the 15yr has some spicy notes to it, this expression trumps it in that regard.

The whisky isn't very sweet on the tongue, offering little fruitiness. Perhaps a little pear or green apple. Otherwise, this is a spicy malt that goes down easily. The label claims vanilla, honey and toffee, but other than the bit of honey on the nose, these were not present.

While I like this whisky, and I'm glad I bought it, I don't think it ranks in the top of my cabinet. This dram is just a bit too simple for me, not offering much more than spiciness.