Review by: Wryan
Caribbean Rum Cask Finish Highland Whisky
Ardnamurchan is quickly becoming a favorite of mine and a staple on my shelf. I greatly enjoy the standard AD/ release and have purchased my share of single cask bottles, mostly from wine casks. I knew Ardnamurchan had rum casks maturing and when this bottle dropped, I immediately jumped to import a bottle.
What looks to be a 60/40 blend of unpeated to peated spirit, all of the casks in the blend mention Jamaican rum. Unsure of the specific distillery these casks came from, but of the aged rums I enjoy, most come from high ester Jamaican marques. Before I even cracked into this bottle, I dove into the nerdy details Ardnamurchan provides which you can find here on their site.
Distillery: Ardnamurchan.
Region: Glenbeg, Acharacle, UK.
ABV: 55%.
Age: NAS (2016/17 Cask Vintages).
Cask type: Ex-Bourbon finished in Jamaican Rum Casks.
Price: $75.
Color: 0.7 Amber. Natural Color. No chill filtration.
Tasting Notes
Tasted neat in a Glencairn with 15+ minutes of rest. Dilution was added for the second half of the tasting with an additional rest of upwards of an hour. This review encompasses my initial impression to the final glass.
Nose: An immediate recognition of caramelized Bananas Foster on the nose, bringing an expected tropical note to the malt. I’d say it leans slightly closer to starchy plantain chips. Vanilla sweetened cream with a lemon acidity. Not a tart or a lemon curd note from the acid but more a brightness highlighting the cream. The cereals are distinctly Ardnamurchan with dank dunnage, hay, and barnyard aromas. They remind me of puffed rice and millet. There are some faint molasses notes but I’d mostly attribute the sweetness to raw honeycomb. As the glass rests, the sulphur from the peat begins to emerge, along with a vegetal sweetness. Coconut flakes, palm fronds, and lime leaf herbaceous components.
Palate: Quite the peaty palate considering the nose did not allude much of its phenolic nature. Caramelized sugars and citrus oils, with more of an orange oil or extract note on the palate. This is not a sweet dram, bringing herbal notes I did not expect. Grilled lemongrass, aniseed, and dried long beach grasses. I’m not imagining myself on a tropical beach, more of an early morning Mid-Atlantic seaside stroll. Unexpected metallic notes of copper and tin reminded me of those early morning camping trips I took as a kid. There are some odd flavors but the whisky has an enjoyable texture. Adding a touch of water enhanced the acidity with lemon peel or limoncello-like flavors.
Finish: The first thing of note is how quickly this dissipates from your palate. A peaty presence with a tannic oak backdrop. The metals are now even more noticeable to me. It’s a warm penny, loose in your car’s change holder. The drying texture becomes chalky and slightly offensive. Like eating raw coconut flour or black sesame powder. Dilution works wonders on the finish lifting the starchy fruits and veg. There’s a sweet potato and slight savory element now that I rather enjoy. If you’ve ever had Caroni rum, this whisky is a close cousin of a fruity tire fire.
Overall
I’m trying to step back and find what I appreciate about what the rum cask brings to the malt. I love Ardnamurchan but the finish is not helping their spirit in a way that I find enjoyable, at least as a whole. There are certain aspects that I find quite pleasant and wonderful, but somehow the balance feels skewed.
Rum cask finishes haven’t entirely gelled with me as it is. I find my palate is confused as if I should be enjoying rum or malt but not the two in harmony with one another. Much in the same way I don’t prefer bourbon barrel aged beers, I find the two don’t work in balance for my preferences.
I think the best way I can describe the flavors here is with a comparison of fresh vs dried tropical fruits. I love dried mangoes and banana chips. When compared to fresh mango, dried mangoes taste considerably less sweet. It tastes of mango just not as intense as biting into a ripened one. It’s like comparing the flesh of a fruit to the peel or rind.
It’s a different dimension and level to Ardnamurchan, but not one I find harmonious with their spirit.
Final Score: 83
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