Caol Ila Cask Strength
Review by Caol Ila
- Colour
Amber
- Nose
Carbolic, with a beach-bonfire smokiness behind. Then medicinal, lightly floral. Clean as an operating theatre! With water, the medicine softens, making way for damp wool and steam engines.
- Palate
Very sweet start; clean, aggressive, smoky, warming. Reduced, smooth and mildly sweet; light acidity and salty. Mild, compared to the flavour at natural strength. Needs little water.
- Finish
Pleasant, lightly charred. Lingering.
- Conclusion
A medicinal smoky nose introduces the strongest character, bottled at cask strength and “clean as an operating theatre”. Smooth and light to start, it becomes strong, clean and assertive in flavour. Firm and smooth on the palate with sweetness again turning to a sea saltiness. A pleasant, sustained, lightly charred finish.
- Note
-
It's usual with cask strength malts to add water, but don't add too much. This bottling is surprisingly mellow for the strength.
