I’m a fan of Rum cask finishes and this one, whilst young, has a surprising depth of character.
The nose is heavy on banana and caramel but throws out sweet mango and pineapple with just a hint of wood.
The palate is really fruity like a fresh fruit salad and caresses your tastebuds with just the faintest nip. It manifests creamy toffee with vanilla and the airy memory of banana Angel’s Delight. There’s a wee bit of oat right at the end too.
The finish has the sharpness of tinned pineapple and gives a really gentle burn as it goes down. Then there’s a creamy suggestion of butterscotch sweeties.
This is a lovely dram and, whilst it’s not as big on flavour as Balvenie Caribbean Cask, it’s one that I enjoyed neat and would happily do so again.