Advent 2022 #24 - Caol Ila 17 Unpeated Special Release 2015

Now this is one I’m excited about. I found it intriguing to begin with, and a number of people have commented on my posts recommending unpeated Caol Ila. Let’s get into it and find out how unfortunate I find it that they seem to have discontinued this annual release.

Caol Ila 17 Unpeated Special Release 2015, Islay Single Malt, 55.9% ABV

Minutia: Distilled in 1997 from unpeated barley and matured for 17 years in ex-boubon casks. Reviewed blind, neat in an opaque glencairn.

Color: Amontillado Sherry; 0.9.

Nose: Sweet malt, honey.

Taste: Like an intense version of the nose, emphasis on the sweetness. Saltiness builds as it sits in your mouth.

Finish: Malt, almost smoky. Earthy.

Guess: Unpeated Caol Ila

The above are just copied from my written notes, and reflecting back on it as I typed them I can’t believe I didn’t write ‘grass’ anywhere. That was the overall feel along with the sweetness, and it’s what I believe I called ‘earthy’ in the finish. I wasn’t blown away by this, but I liked it and it’s one of the better unpeated whiskies I’ve had. I’m disappointed this isn’t a regular thing, hopefully there’s some stock out there aging to bring it back with the special releases.

Score: 84

Advent 2022 #23 - Ledaig 10 2009 Bordeaux Red Wine

With how much I love Ledaig and how well wine casks seem to have done for me, this was never something I wasn’t going to buy. Incidentally, I waited long enough to open it and ended up getting this sample bottle in a pack ordered from the distillery, so decided to save it for its day in an Advent calendar, which has now arrived.

Ledaig 10 2009 Bordeaux Red Wine, Island (Mull) Single Malt, 56.9% ABV

Minutia: Distilled in February 2009 and matured for 10 years in ex-Bordeaux Red Wine Casks before bottling in January 2020. Reviewed blind, neat in an opaque glencairn.

Color: Auburn, polished mahogany; 1.5.

Nose: Smoked brisket, wine, marshmallow.

Taste: Great feel. Smoke, wood, pepper. Ash, coffee. Tar.

Finish: Tobacco, pepper, musty. Medium-long.

Guess: Ledaig Bordeaux

I have been looking forward to trying this since the moment I heard of it, and boy was I right to feel that way. So many notes that weren’t quite novel, but presented in a more concentrated way that I really enjoyed. It reminds me a bit of how in the first year the final dram was an unbelievably good Ledaig. Missed it by a day for the same thing here, but good enough for me.

Score: 92

Advent 2022 #22 - Laphroaig 15 200th Anniversary

A celebratory release, and if what I’ve read about a bunch of bottlings from Laphroaig, it will likely be one that should be standard but isn’t. I wonder if I’m right.

Laphroaig 15 200th Anniversary, Islay Single Malt, 43% ABV

Minutia: Bottled in celebration of Laphroaig’s 200th anniversary. Reviewed blind, neat in an opaque glencairn.

Color: Deep copper; 1.0.

Nose: Musty, lemony, apple skin. Tobacco, leather, fruit. Gummy bears.

Taste: Vegetal. Honey, Wood. Heat builds, but not to a high level.

Finish: Delicious bitter note into smoke and coffee and sweet grapes. Malt.

Guess: Laphroaig 15

Non-standard indeed. Wow, this whisky is good in many ways. I got notes I’ve never gotten from a Laphroaig and didn’t get some notes I usually do. I thoroughly enjoyed drinking it and it’s such an interesting expression I felt surprised the whole dram. Not necessarily because a new note appeared or anything, but I kept being surprised it was a Laphroaig, and at 43%, too.

Score: 89

Advent 2022 #21 - Lagavulin Distillers Edition 1998

I’m always interested in trying different batches of what is meant to be the same release. Not a ton of exposure to Lagavulin DEs, and I’ve found it to be a dram that goes one way or the other depending on the glass. Let’s see how this goes.

Lagavulin Distillers Edition 1998, Islay Single Malt, 43% ABV

Minutia: Distilled in 1998 and matured for 16 years with a PX finish. Reviewed blind, neat in an opaque glencairn.

Color: Tawny; 1.4.

Nose: Smoke, meat. Maritime, medicinal. Leather, tobacco, rubber, cereal. Pancakes with butter and syrup. Hazelnut coffee (it actually reminded me of a specific vape flavor from when I used to do that – don’t take this as a negative, Phillip Rocke Crème de la crème was the flavor and it’s excellent even though I dislike hazelnut to the point I find Nutella to be gross).

Taste: Musty, wood, spice. A sweetness there.

Finish: Smoked meat. Medium.

Guess: Lagavulin DE. Laphroaig 15 wouldn’t surprise me, but it kinda would.

This is just excellent. Each time I revisited the nose I found something new, and it was more delightful than the last time. It tastes fine and the finish is good, but they don’t compare to the star that is the nose. I hadn’t developed an interest in whisky until well after “the good old days” but this peak into something closer to then, even if just by a few years, is interesting, and I’ll be giving a bit more credibility to declarations that this or that expression isn’t what it used to be.

Score: 91

Musical Evocation: Bob Dylan with Emmylou Harris – “One More Cup of Coffee (Valley Below)”

Advent 2022 #20 - Laphroaig Triple Wood

I really want to try this one to see how it compares to the Cairdeas from a few years ago. I wonder if it’s a possibly serviceable alternative.

Laphroaig Triple Wood, Islay Single Malt, 48% ABV

Minutia: Matured in bourbon, quarter, and European oak ex-Oloroso casks. Reviewed blind, neat in an opaque glencairn.

Color: Burnished; 1.1.

Nose: Smoke and ash. Crisp fruit in the smoke. Icing later.

Taste: Musty with spices. Also pepper and heat.

Finish: Must. Leather. Longer.

Guess: It’s tough, but I’m going to say Triple Wood.

So, this is a good whisky and it makes sense that lots of whisky fans were over the moon about a cask strength version of it. Interestingly enough, this scores a tier below the Cairdeas, which checks out – that’s the same whisky but a tier above.

Score: 83

Musical Evocation: Iron Maiden – “Die with Your Boots On”