Balvenie Caribbean Cask 14 Year Old

Not enough is said about whisky bottles, and Balvenie bottles deserve special mention. These bottles are fantastic, and not for innovation, but rather for their classic look. These bottles are the kind that you proudly inch forward on the booze shelf, the kind that you enjoy poring because the shape and heft in your hand. They’re also practical, designed with a short but wide rim in order to decrease the amount of drip.

Balvenie comes with great pedigree. In the early 1800s, William Grant & Sons (the owners of Glenfiddich) were looking to expand their operation and opened Balvenie. It’s one of the few family-run distilleries left in Scotland and they pride themselves on producing Scotch the traditional way. Most of the processes are done on-premise and by hand, a rarity these days in mass-produced whisky. They grow their own barley and rely on coopers for artisanal barrels. David Steward, long time William Grant & Sons Malt Master, is now solely focusing his attention on Balvenie during his semi-retirement. Stewart is largely credited for being among the first to do ‘cask’ finishes; that is, a process by which a traditional Scotch is aged in bourbon or sherry casks and then finished in a different cask to add more flavour.

The Balvenie Caribbean Cask
After 15 years of regular aging, this Balvenie Scotch was finished in a cask that previously held about 50 types of David Stewart’s choice rums. The intention was to imbue the Scotch with the rum’s buttery sweetness without making it overpowering. I’ve had this Scotch on two different occasions before writing this article and enjoyed it greatly each time.

The nose is only slightly sharp, with light tropical fruits and citrus. It’s a very vibrant, perky Scotch, both on the nose and on the pallet.  That sharpness comes with a juicy sweetness, vanilla, and what best can be described as orange zest. On the finish there’s a more tropical dried fruit finish. I would consider this Scotch a mellow well rounded drink with a shorter finish that leaves you wanting for more. The buttery sweetness of the rum is apparent, but this is certainly a Scotch with the bolder flavours one would expect. It’s a fantastic treat and I’ll be saving this one for special occasions.

The Caribbean Cask is available at the LCBO for a limited time at just under $100, and while this would be a great addition to a whisky cabinet, you could easily opt for any of the other Balvenie products: The 12 year old Doublewood is only $65 and has a very loyal following, and on the higher end, Balvenie also has a 21 year old Portwood Scotch for about $215.

Originally published on Spotlight Toronto

Tullibardine

I have an admitted soft spot for Tullibardine. I toured their distillery last year and sampled a wide variety of their single malt offerings. It wasn’t a Scotch that I fully appreciated at first, but I purchased a 1993 vintage which had been aged in muscatel barrels. It was sweet, nicely balanced with oak, and quickly became my favourite easy-drinking Scotch.

Sadly it wasn’t available at the LCBO at first. That changed earlier this year when the LCBO brought in the regular aged 1993 vintage as a limited release. At $65 this is a fantastic purchase, and it’s already almost entirely sold out.

I was pleasantly surprised when I had my first sip of this vintage. You’ll get a hit of alcohol on the nose, but the taste is surprisingly mild by comparison. On the palate you’ll get more of the zesty flavour with a bitter finish, almost like that of a not-quite-ripe green grape (though not nearly as sweet). The after-taste is pleasant and mellow.

Tullibardine has an interesting history. The distillery was largely closed down in the 1990s and it moved quickly between a few buyers. These latest releases are from their old barrels (distilled by previous owners but left on-premise) that have been well aged. Their primary business is small-lot exports, and they’re not as well known within Scotland relative to other distilleries. Tullibardine Scotches offers a fantastic value, considering the evolved and multi-layer flavours.

If you’re ever near the distillery in Perthsire, Scotland, I recommend you take the tour. And if you happen to pick me up a bottle of the muscatel 1993, I’d be extremely appreciative!

Note: Originally published on Spotlight Toronto

Lagavulin 12 Year Old

One of the oldest distilleries in Scotland, Lagavulin has a history dating back to the mid-1700s (although their ‘official’ opening date was 1816). Lagavulin doesn’t make affordable Scotches -  their standard 16 year old is $110 at the LCBO, and it goes up from there, although they have recently released a 200mL ‘trial’ size of their 16 year old for $33.95.

A new LCBO entrant in the Lagavulin line is a limited quantity 12 year old cask strength Scotch. There are still some bottles available but the product is listed as discontinued so don’t expect to see it again until perhaps next year. Lagavulin has been releasing these Scotches annually since the early 2000s and judging from the reviews, they keep getting better each year.  My recent preference for cask strength Scotches made this an easy pick for the Whisky Cabinet.

As with all peaty Scotches, the first scent is smoke. It’s not Laphroaig smoky, but a more composed and complex earthy smokiness such as that of a nearby fire (whereas with Laphroaig, you are standing in the fire). That smokiness is joined with caramel, citrus, and an almost imperceptible hint of lavender. On the pallet I find this Scotch a perfect balance between the common taste profiles of salty, sweet, and the smoky. There’s a depth to every element, like that of a richly delicious meal. The after-taste is warm, with the smokiness slowly drifting away. Whereas some Scotches at this age have a heavy dried fruit sweetness, the Lagavulin has a softer, less imposing sweetness.

When drinking this Scotch, it really is about the second and third taste, as the initial hit might be too explosive in both peat and alcohol to fully appreciate. Give it a chance, let it warm up, and then enjoy. At around $115 at the LCBO it’s not inexpensive. If it’s too late to purchase this Scotch at your local LCBO, the 16 year old should be readily available and is an excellent option.

Note: Originally published on Spotlight Toronto

Laphroaig Quarter Cask

An ounce of just-poured Laphroaig Quarter Cask sits beside me as I write this, and already the smokiness wafts upwards. This is a Scotch for a more advanced drinker for a few reasons; but only because of its heavy peat and blasting character. 

Once you check the aroma a few times the smokiness will fade as you become accustomed to it, and you’ll certainly pick up the stronger alcohol content. The nose has been described as earthy, salty, and there’s definitely very little sweetness to it. You know you’re in for a ride before even taking the first taste.

The strength of the scent is deceptive, although the alcohol is definitely apparent. I believe the proper term for this type of whisky would be ‘warm’ and it certainly will warm you up almost immediately. With each sip the complexity increases as the flavours mellow, and sweeter, earthier qualities begin to emerge.

The quarter cask Scotch is produced in casks that are quarter the size of the standard, which allows the oak to really come through. If you like oaky wines or Scotches, you will likely appreciate this one. Although the Scotch is aged well under 10 years, the smaller cask size allows for more surface contact with the cask. So while it is not aged as long, it will have the oak flavour consistent with an older Scotch with less alcohol evaporating (alcohol evaporates as whisky ages in barrels).

Laphroaig is a major producer of Scotch with a history going back to the 1800s. They have several offerings in the LCBO ranging from the $60 range (as is this one) to the $600+ range for their 25 year old single malt. The 10 year old Laphroaig Scotch is the best selling smoky Scotch in the world, and also a good purchase. I’ve yet to try the 18 year old Scotch, but it’s definitely on my list of drinks to have.

Note: Originally published on Spotlight Toronto