The Wild Parrot Clarendon 2007

The Wild Parrot bottled this 2007 Clarendon as a single cask, aged fifteen years in ex-bourbon and brought down to a gentle 45%. Clarendon is a Clarendon parish workhorse running both pot and column stills, and this one lands on the lighter, fruitier side of the house, an unconventional profile closer to a crisp white wine than to a heavy funk bomb.

Distilled from molasses, it noses on mango, tropical fruit, flowers and a fresh, almost Sauvignon-like greenness. The palate is fruity and citrusy with white chocolate and a delicate frame, never thick, while the finish brings grapes, a caramelized edge, citrus and a nutty note. Unsweetened and reduced rather than cask strength, it stays light bodied and a touch lean, the fruit arriving late. A relaxed, characterful sipper for drinkers who enjoy the lighter, more delicate corner of Jamaican single casks rather than full-proof intensity.