Caol Ila 16 yo 1991/2007 Cask Strength

Caol Ila 16 yo 1991/2007 Cask Strength

Single Malts of Scotland, Specialty Drinks Ltd
Single malt - Islay
White wine
57.5% ABV
Bottle

Nose: Smoke and peat. Soya sauce, honey and lemon. Fresh-cut grass lurking around the edges.
Mouthfeel: Medium body. Gritty and sandy, quite rough in the mouth. Can't really taste all that alcohol (!).
Tasting: Salty and sweet. Preserved Moroccan lemons. Cinnamon and cloves. More grass, drier this time (hay?).
Finish: Salty, long and warm. The cloves and honey linger longest.

Comments:

Cask ref 610, 235 bottles. This whisky won the Malt Maniacs' best bourbon cask matured award in 2007. Very nice indeed. Great at the bottled strength; the smoke doesn't overpower the rest of the flavours, very well balanced.

Verdict:

I like this a lot!

Glenrothes 20 yo 1985/2005

Glenrothes 20 yo 1985/2005

Official bottling
Single malt - Speyside
Warm amber
43% ABV
Mini

Nose: Raisins, vanilla, malty beer. Oat bread and hot cross buns. Dried cranberries.
Mouthfeel: Thick, full-bodied, creamy, very static, no expansion.
Tasting: Sweet salty, pepper and cloves, Sultanas, honey and banana. Rich, deep and complex.
Finish: Short but intense. Malty beer, raisin bun, hint of marmite on toast.

Comments:

Good mix of sweet and savoury flavours. Nice little Speyside, and very attractive little grenade-shaped bottles. Glenrothes does vintages instead of age statements, in 100ml bottles. Great for testing and tasting.

Verdict:

I like this.