Review: Balvenie 14 Caribbean Cask

I remember the first time I tasted the Caribbean Cask, because I was immediately made furious. Not because the whiskey was bad. No, no. It was divine like the first day in spring when sundress season blesses the masses.

I was furious because I didn’t have anyone to share it with. I was by myself, and the bottle was gifted to me by a dear friend. There are many that say one shouldn’t imbibe by themselves, but I personally find that in those moments where I can actually be still can provide the opportunity to actually taste a spirit.

It was at that moment I decided to host a whiskey tasting, featuring a vertical flight of four different Balvenie selections. Usually, when I do a vertical tasting (when you sample different selections from the same distiller), there’s usually consternation on which one reigns supreme.

But on that fateful night in downtown Los Angeles on my frat brother’s rooftop, it was agreed one that Caribbean Cask was special, a bottle worthy on anyone’s bar cabinet.

Color: Gold, like coins from Super Mario Bros.

Smell: Cooked pineapples.

Taste: Vanilla wafers. Cinnamon. A slight bit of oak? Yes. A slight bit of oak.

Finish: Slight bite, with tastes of dates and rum hints that lingers.

Details: A Speyside single malt scotch, $79 at Total Wine & More

• Appearance: 13/15 points

• Nose: 23/25 Points

• Palate/Taste: 32/35 Points

• Finish: 22/25 points

• Total Score: 90