Cambus 1988 26 yr
Cask Strength Single Grain Whisky
48.1% ABV (96.2 proof)
~$180 (sample provided)
Color: medium gold, slightly hazy
Smell: tropical fruit and honey. It's light and vibrant - I get melon, banana, and toasted coconut, along with some marshmallow. Very nice, but quite subtle.
Taste: smooth and sweet. In the whisky world, this reminds me more than anything of Crown Royal's Hand Selected Barrel (reviewed here). The entry is tropical fruits dipped in honey - banana and melon most prominently. The midpalate and finish bring in a slight toasty/nutty element, but it's really all about the sweet fruits and toasted marshmallows. Very similar to a great dark rum like Zacapa 23.Overall: this is certainly unique, and very good. Outside of the aforementioned Crown, Willett XCF, and Angel's Envy Rye, I've never had a whiskey that is more reminiscent of good dark rum. This is light, sweet, and smooth. It's a stretch at $180, but I'd put it in the B+/A- range on taste alone. Very interesting.
