52°
Distillery : Caol Ila - Islay
Hogshead
Independent Bottling
By The Vintage Malt Whisky Co. Ltd
Limited Edition
Single Cask
Bottled in 2013
Unchillfiltered, Uncoloured, Cask Strength
Peated around 35 ppm
The Vintage Malt Whisky Co. was founded in 1992 and is best known for the Finlaggan brand. And when you know that Finlaggan is Caol Ila (although you're not supposed to), you can deduce that they have very strong links with this distillery. Which explains why this cask from 1982 is in their hands. In fact, they have a good fifteen 1982 Caol Ila casks. But this one is special. Bottled in 2013 especially for The Whisky Fair in Limburg, Germany, only 275 bottles were made, which are now being snapped up at auction.
Let's Taste It :
At the very beginning of the nose, camphor and ether, which sometimes happens with older bottlings. Behind, pulpy, ripe yellow fruits, plum, banana. With the addition of water, the iodine begins to expand, and a fine balance is achieved, though it remains delicate overall. Then comes the smoke, ashy and grainy. Mineral notes of slate and silica. Chocolatey earth. Black coffee in the percolator. Moist humidity, undergrowth. Liquoriced soot. Ginger, angelica. Delicious harmony. On the palate, the fruits come back, quince and fermented cherries, fairly strong spices, cumin, cloves, pepper, turmeric. Hints of marshy liquorice. Very long finish, liquorice and fuel oil, pepper sweets, paprika, malt, rye, some cereals. Dry earth. Aubergine juice. Slight woody bitterness.
In Short,
It took a good 40 minutes for the nose to take hold, and water had to be added, but it is truly outstanding. The rest is on the same level, it's a fantastic bottling, quite fruity, which manages to effectively blend iodine and peat with the patina of age, a sweetness and a complexity second to none. I'd recommend buying it for those who can afford it, but reserve it for die-hard fans, as the value for money is nowhere near there.
Score : 90
To Be Listened While Sipping :
Dire Straits - Telegraph Road
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