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Carpathian Single Malt Barolo Cask Finish Review

Can a Barolo cask elevate a Romanian single malt—or dry it out? Discover Carpathian’s honeyed red-fruit profile, spicy finish, and verdict.

OVERALL RATING

8
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Tasting Notes

About:

Romanian single malt brand Carpathian has been crafting whisky at the Alexandrion Saber 1789 Distillery situated near the Carpathian Mountains since 2017. Carpathian’s Master Distiller Allan Anderson hold more than 30 years’ experience in Scotch whisky and Irish whiskey distillation.

The Carpathian Barolo Cask Finish expression is crafted from malted Romanian barley and sub-Carpathian Mountain water. First matured for over 3 years in 200 litre American oak ex-bourbon casks, before being transferred to 225-litre Italian red wine Barolo casks for over a year of finishing. The release is part of Carpathian’s Italian Wine Cask Collection. Bottled at natural colour and non-chill filtered at 46% ABV.
Appearance:
Deep Yellow Gold
Nose:
Light and gentle aromas, sweet honey leads into dried fruits and red berries. There are notes of cinnamon and oak.
Palate:
Light on the palate, opening with sweet creamy honey and caramel, alongside a hint of vanilla. Red fruits follow, becoming drier as oak tannins move to the foreground.
Finish:
A medium length warming finish, lots of peppery oak tannins, alongside cinnamon and nutmeg.
Comments:
Carpathian’s Barolo Cask Finish has imparted lots of vinous red fruit notes, but these are countered by discernible drying oaky tannins, although I did enjoy the flashes of cinnamon and nutmeg spice. The expression is slightly drying for my taste, so for my own experience I’d probably score closer to 7.5 out of 10, but let’s be generous and give a score of 8. A whisky for fans of wine cask maturation or finishing.

Editor’s Note: This whiskey was either bought as a sample by The Whiskey Wash or provided to us as a review sample by the party behind it. Per our editorial policies, this in no way influenced the outcome of this review.

Mark Bostock

Mark Bostock, an integral part of the Mark Littler LTD UK content writing team since 2019, brings a genuine passion for whisky, especially independent bottlings, to his work. His commitment to expanding his knowledge through attending tasting events and building his own collection enriches his contributions, blending expertise with enthusiasm.

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