The Glenlivet Caribbean Reserve
Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age:  NAS
Abv:  40%

The Glenlivet line has quite a few expressions, the Caribbean Reserve is a relatively new one.  I haven’t sampled many of their line – this, and the Founders Reserve.  This was a road-trip addition that sounded like it would be a fun comparison to the Founders Reserve.

Bottle Notes
Sweet & tropical notes.  Selectively finished in barrels that held Caribbean Rum.

Nose
Soft, blended fruits.  A basket of … berries, actually.  Hints of blueberry, sweet raspberry.  A nice dusty malt coating.  Sharpening the focus I start down the tropics trail.  Mmm, melon, a hint of pineapple.  The semi-raw skin of a plantain.  So, definitely with the tropics in mind, my nose picks out those lovely sweet melon and exotic fruits.  On a more casual approach, I first get a gentle basket of fruit and berries – light fruits like apple, pear.  There is a certain note that crops up now and then that is like a soft, worn leather.  

Palate
Lots of sweetness.  Not sugary, but semi-ripened fruit.  Threads of a darker fruit – figs, raisins.  Spots of citrus on later sips – big orange, and a sense of tropical fruit salad.  On occasion I’m getting a spirity hit, but not overwhelming, and not omnipresent.  The dominant experience here is fruit, and it dances amongst apple, berries, and tropical.

Finish
The palate carries through, nicely.  Sparkles of sweetness fade with a gentle tingle.  A slowly descending warmth.

Final Thoughts
I like it.  It’s not a whisky that wows me, it’s not one I reach for when I peruse the cabinet, but in an unhurried moment, this dram pours nicely, is a lightly dynamic nose, consistent palate, and decent, clean finish.  When I picture the comparison with Founders Reserve, it’s a nice counterpoint – similar in smoothness and dusty malt level, but leans more to the lighter, fruity and berry with tropical influences.  The Founders Reserve tends more to the darker fruits, but with the same signature malt and smooth experience.

I’m not much of a mixologist, but I picture this being a great base for some sort of whisky cocktail, where the tropical fruit notes might be accented by fruit juices and some crushed ice.

The Glenlivet line seems to come and go quite frequently here at the local NSLC shops.  A nod to its widespread popularity, perhaps.  This one is not available at the moment, but I expect to see it again some time.