Whisky: Milk & Honey 2 Year, Single Cask Nation

Country/Region: Israel

ABV: 61.3%

Cask: First Fill Jamaican Rum Barrel

Age: 2 Years (Distilled July 2017, Bottled Dec. 2019)

Nose: Honey, sesame, and spice. Ginger, chili, coriander, citrus, and hints of miso paste left me imagining a table spread of condiments. Lime and vaguely vegetative, or even lactic, notes appeared between fried plantains, pickled green mango, and bruised papaya.

Palate: Medium-bodied with good viscosity and honey, tropical fruit, and herbal notes. Green mango and shoyu came to mind as fruity, salty, tangy notes danced on the tongue. Brown sugar and banana appeared on the mid-palate and became even more prevalent with a few drops of water. Toward the end were herbal menthol, ginger, and betel nut notes.

Finish: Lingering green tropical fruits and honey.

Score: 5

Mental Image: Tubâ Moonshine Stand

Notes: Well, the rum cask certainly made itself known on this dram! The young and assertive Milk & Honey malt balanced a honey sesame sweetness against the rum cask's funky tropical fruit notes. A bit spirited and hot at first, a few drops of water accentuated the rummy fruits and brown sugar while cooling the mouthfeel.

The nose was wilder than the palate, with some really funky vegetable and almost lactic notes. Tropical fruits reappeared on the palate where an intriguing herbal spice joined them toward the end. The combination was fascinating, though it was often disjointed and not integrated. A bit of chaos in the glass can be just what the mood calls for, and when it does, I think this would fit the mood. I suspect rum fans, especially fans of slightly funky Jamaican rums, will find more to love as the dram displays an almost shadow play of funky rum.