Balvenie 14 Golden Cask, 47.5% abv.

Released around 2009 for the travel retail market, I believe for France only. Seems like the 14 year Golden Cask shares a history with the Carribean Cask and Cuban Selection. From what I understand, the first one was the Bal 14 Cuban Selection, but they couldn't sell in the US due to the embargo. Bal then switched to Golden Cask, but the US was concerned it would contain stock from the previous Cuban Selection, as both were described to have been finished in casks that held "Cuban/Carribean" rum, but the Golden Cask is described has having used golden rum, aka dark rum casks. I don't remember why it ended up in France though. Since the Cuban Selection and Golden Cask became so popular, Bal decided to put a Carribean Cask into the lineup, but the Carribean Cask supposedly only uses rum seasoned casks and they just flush the "used" rum. That's a lot of Mai Tais and Long Islands!

Nose: vanilla, honey, burnt brown sugar, hint of cereal, hint of apples.

Palate: very spicy, that Balvenie honey.

Finish: moderate to long, bitter honey, the spice lingers quite a while and more with each sip.

Typical Balvenie honey, this one is spicier than other Balvenie products I've tried, perhaps because of the rum casks. Kind of like a concentrated Balvenie. Like many other people that have tasted the golden cask, we are left wondering where is the rum influence? I'm guessing it's in enhanced honey sweetness and spice, similar to what I've seen in some Japanese rum wood finished whiskies. Strangely enough, I think this is a little better than the 14 Caribbean Cask for some reason, is it the environment? Had this at Malt Bar Barrel, Seoul, South Korea.

Grade: C+

Malt maniacs, 86 points on 2 reviews
Whisky advocate, John Hansell, 86 points
2010 Whisky bible, Jim Murray, 91 points

Image courtesy of Eric Yee.

Eric Yee

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