Though I love a classic bourbon barrel aged single malt Scotch, I’m always looking for a unique or different style to experiment with. I’m fascinated with how the nature of the barrels/casks used for aging and finishing can imbue such a wide range of attributes to the end result.
So, when I saw that this bottling from Balvenie, one of the great Scotch distillers, was actually finished in a rum cask, I just couldn’t resist! The aging is done in traditional oak casks and then the mature whisky is moved to casks that were conditioned with a mix of Western Indian rums for finishing.
I like this poured neat which delivers a wonderful full-bodied honeyed pallet with a long finish combining toffee/vanilla with nice balance of fruit and spice that doesn’t overwhelm but delights.
Looking to experiment a little – I highly recommend you give this a try.
June 12, 2016 at 9:27 pm
Completely agreed! This is by far one of my favourite scotch whiskies. Period. Maybe it’s the fact that I’m from the Caribbean and grew up on rum, or maybe Balvenie just did a fantastic job.
Either way, delicious.
Cheers – Peat
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June 13, 2016 at 9:51 pm
Hi Peat – Thanks for visiting. Maybe it is a little bit of both!
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