Glenfiddich Gran Reserva, Caribbean Rum Cask, 21-year-old (40%)

An almost impossibly brightly hued golden colour in the glass, this immediately transports you to a balmy Bajan evening by the beach. The welcoming nose offers sugared almonds, fresh coconut, some spice and the olfactory equivalent of the “hiss” as you open an ice-cold bottle of Ting. The palate is pure Speyside, with touches of orchard fruits and vanilla interwoven with some fig and pecan nut. The finish hurtles across the Atlantic and back, with fudge, molasses, Scottish tablet, and Jerk spices – allspice, clove, ginger. Drink this with alternating earfuls of Franz Ferdinand/Biffy Clyro (or even the Bay City Rollers!) and Bob Marley’s Exodus. Or, maybe, while watching seminal James Bond film Dr No, starring a Scotsman, filmed in the Caribbean.
Rob Whitehead, Buyer (June 2019)