Caol Ila 12 yo 1996/2009

Caol Ila 12 yo 1996/2009

Connoisseur's Choice, Gordon & Macphail
Single malt - Islay
Pale gold
43% ABV
Sampler

Nose: Smoke, peat, dark chocolate, plums, lemon juice, hints of lavender, hints of soy sauce.
Mouthfeel: Medium body, thickens, smooth, slippery.
Tasting: Bitter sweet. Smoke, peat, honey, dark chocolate, walnut skins, plums, lemon juice.
Finish: Medium. Honey, peat, walnut skins, smoke, hints of new plastic.

Comments:

This whisky doesn't taste like the Caol Ila I thought I knew! There's little sign of the usual salty-sweet umami taste that reminds me so much of soy sauce. Instead, there's sweet chocolate and red fruit, mainly plums, with a tart little hint of lemon juice. The expected peat and smoke are present in abundance.

Verdict:

I like this.