Month: April 2020

Rum-finished whiskey lovers are going to want to make it a priority to get their hands on the latest release from the Glenlivet: Caribbean Reserve.

The affordable new bottle, which is out today, is a non-age statement bottling of Glenlivet single malt, finished selectively in former Caribbean rum casks before bottling. The whisky is, according to Glenlivet, “sweet and smooth… with hints of tropical fruits, honey and cinnamon.”

Rum cask finishes are becoming a standard among the biggest names in Scotch whisky. While Balvenie, for instance, has long had the 14-year-old expression of Caribbean Cask in its core line, other brands have since joined, including last year’s release of Dewar’s Caribbean Smooth, which was also released as an affordable scotch whisky aimed at the cocktail market.

Just a handful of new Glenlivet’s products have hit shelves in the last decade. The strategy for the last few years has, for the most part, tended toward impactful, but limited releases, including the cryptically designed Alpha and Cipher bottles, which were intentionally mysterious in their makeup.

So a permanent, affordable addition to the core line is a welcome treat for the brand’s fans. “At The Glenlivet we are always looking at new ways to explore different flavours to break old whisky conventions,” said Glenlivet Master Distiller Alan Winchester in a statement shared with Men’s Journal. “After experimenting with Cognac casks in the past, it seemed only natural that we would set our sights on other cask experiments and rum barrels were next. By bringing rum barrels and Scotch together for the first time in our history, we have brought some bold and tropical Caribbean flavours to our traditional Speyside style.”

There’s some uncertainty about whether this will find its home mostly as a neat pour or a cocktail ingredient, but as Glenlivet is sharing its own cocktail recipes, we’re open to both. One you get your hands on a bottle, here’s the first drink to try, below.

Caribbean Mai Tai

Ingredients:

• 1 ½ parts The Glenlivet Caribbean Reserve
• ¾ part lime juice
• ½ part orange syrup
• ½ part Triple Sec

Directions:

1. Combine The Glenlivet Reserve Caribbean Reserve, lime juice, orange syrup and Triple Sec in a cocktail shaker.
2. Fill with ice.
3. Shake vigorously for 20 seconds.
4. Strain into an ice-filled rocks glass.
5. Garnish with mint and an orange slice and enjoy.

The new Glenlivet Caribbean Reserve is available nationwide today $35. You can purchase it on Drizly, as well as via ReserveBar for easy delivery. Glenlivet has included an offer code courtesy of ReserveBar for you to also raise a glass: (OFFER CODE: SCOTCH $5 – for $5 off).

Since our immediate futures are one big question mark with the COVID-19 pandemic right now, many of us are clinging onto small moments of joy. The meticulous, meditative quality of chopping vegetables. The oddly scientific methodology of making pour-over coffee and sourdough starter. And for the active set: running.

That sense of community has been thwarted, no doubt, but we urge you to embrace the oddities of running in the age of COVID-19. Charge through the streets at night. Make the once-crowded hot spots your playground. Take advantage of the downpours and eerily quiet dawn hours to minimize contact with people. Getting out once a day doesn’t just ease the doldrums of self-isolation, it’s a godsend for your mental and physical health—the salve for an ever-growing itch you can’t seem to scratch. If you’re someone who likes to get miles on your legs, a personal best on your watch, and could use a new pair of kicks on your feet, we’ve got a strong recommendation from Hoka One One: the Carbon X.

What It Is

The Hoka One One Carbon X sits pretty squarely between a racing shoe and trainer. The aggressive, springy carbon plate extends through the length of the shoe, wrapping under the outermost toes to make your gait feel more fluid and effortless. That’s the whole appeal of carbon-plated running shoes: They make running feel less taxing by reducing energy lost during toe-off—or so the theory goes. Coupled with the fluid nature of the Meta-Rocker, a rounded sole shape with a low heel-to-toe drop, this shoe is seriously fun to run in.

Unlike the Nike ZoomX Vaporfly NEXT% and New Balance FuelCell 5280, which require lightning-fast mile times to reap the benefits, the Carbon X is a more forgiving option. The forefoot platform is wider and more merciful because it lends greater stability—a major plus if your running mechanics aren’t elite-level perfect and you get a little sloppy at the end. 

At just 8.8 ounces (lighter than Nike’s comparable 9.6-ounce Zoom X), it strikes that perfect balance between light and supportive. The upper is an airy engineered mesh, not a knit, so it won’t get soaked or bogged down in rainy conditions. While there’s a medley of foams running along the mid and forefoot, there’s not a substantial amount in the heel to dampen and smooth out the rocker’s rolling momentum. Because of this, the Carbon X is best suited to midfoot strikers than heel strikers, who might find the experience a little jarring.

Why We Like It

I have sprinter tendencies from my track & field days, so I’m afflicted by what I like to call dog-off-leash syndrome—a feeling of unbridled joy when I start a run accompanied by an inability to pace or taper speed. And the Carbon X really lets me fly. The feel underfoot is bouncy and propulsive, with an exaggerated rocking sensation. I’m not a fan of minimalist running shoes, because my body takes a beating with endurance work, but these feel well-cushioned and don’t leave my legs feeling trashed after a hard effort. It’s not an everyday trainer, but it’s absolutely the shoe I gravitate toward when I want to do speed work or bump up the intensity and do some threshold training.

Nitpick

I have narrow feet and don’t often have an issue with irritation, but do experience rubbing along my pinky toes after a couple of miles. If you have wide feet, beware; there’s no wide option available… yet. The laces are also particularly slippery and tend to come undone mid-run. I’d suggest swapping them out, because once you take off, there’s nothing more soul-sucking than stopping your joyride to re-tie your shoes.

Get it

Here at Men’s Journal, we constantly test the latest gear to find the best new products you should know about to take your next adventure, workout, wardrobe, and every other part of your life to the next level. That includes everything from the best new adventure gear like a kayak that can double as a fishing boat to the absolute coolest gadgets and innovative tech you should own like a must-have soundbar to upgrade your home theater setup or a pair of bookshelf speakers. Here, check out our editors’ favorite picks for Gear of the Week.

[Editor’s Note: Check back each week to see an updated list of our favorite new products, along with all the previous weeks’ gear picks.]