11 December 2020

2020 Advent #10 - Caol Ila 7 The Art of Whisky Malting


This is a kind of neat concept with a couple expressions representing each element of whisky making. I also like Caol Ila, so that was enough to get it. Did it deliver.

Caol Ila 7, The Art of Whisky Malting, The Whisky Exchange, Islay Single Malt, 45.8% ABV

Minutia: Matured for 7 years in ex-Bourbon hogsheads and bottled at cask strength in 2017 resulting in 600 bottles. Reviewed blind, neat in a glencairn.

Color: White wine, 0.1.

Nose: Musty smoke, earthy, slight brine.

Taste: Oaky sweet, dirty, spice.

Finish: Very little for a second into smoke, earth, brine.

Guess: A Staoisha with a decent proof about 5-6 years old. Maybe a Caol Ila.

The color got me with how close this was to the extraordinarily transparent one from a couple days ago. This was just the tiniest bit darker, but not enough to get to the next decimal level. I kept thinking Caol Ila the whole time, but with the color similarity combined with how much it reminded me of the other one with the salinity toned down I couldn’t shake a young Staoisha. There is more ethanol sensation on the nose than I’d ever expect from this proof, but the light feel of the finish lines up with that. I suppose that color means they definitely let the focus of this be the malt rather than the cask. All in all, it was nice, but a bit “hot.”

Score: 85



Here are links to the other posts from this calendar:

202001 202002 202003 202004 202005 202006 202007 202008 202009 202010 202011 202012 202013 202014 202015 202016 202017 202018 202019 202020 202021 202022 202023 202024 202000


No comments:

Post a Comment