Caol Ila 2011 Gifted Stills of Scotland

 

 

 

43°

Disitllery : Caol Ila - Islay

Bordeaux Wine Barriques

Independent Bottling 

By Jean Boyer 

Limited Edition 

Single Malt 

Bottled in 2018

Unchillfiltered, Uncoloured 

Peated around 35 ppm

 

 

 

Jean Boyer has released a number of Caol Ila in his Gifted Stills of Scotland collection. They're all aged in Bourbon casks, except for this one, which grew in Bordeaux wine barriques, from an estate in the east of Bordeaux. It could well be a Pomerol, a Saint-Emilion, a Fronsac, a Côtes de Blaye or an Entre-deux-mers. Wine Barriques are normally 225 litres long, and the number of bottles produced is 1180, so we can calculate that three barrels were used. As for the age, it does not exceed 7 years at best.

 

 

 

Let's Taste It : 

Beautiful, deep and grainy peat mixed with slightly fermented red fruit, tarry, earthy notes, damp bark, vegetal moss, mushrooms cooked with herbs, sultanas, redcurrants, hot chestnuts that melt in the mouth, stagnant soot, charcoal balls, a few drops of petroleum. On the palate it's very pleasant, dark chocolate, dried strawberries, bread dough, chestnuts, but the spices are quite strong, black pepper, nutmeg, cloves. The finish is rather long, but not very explosive, with chocolate-covered fruit, heather earth, lacquer, roasted hazelnuts.

 

In Short, 

We were several people who tasted it blind, and we were surprised by the quality of the product. Despite its youth and the reduction in alcohol, we found it to be a complex, deep whisky with a lovely peatiness that will delight connoisseurs. The price is a bit high, but it's worth it. Unfortunately, it has not been available anywhere for a long time.

Score : 88

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                           To Be Listened While Sipping :

 

                                           Black Doldrums - Mae's Desire

Finloch Easy

 

 

 

43°

Distillery Officially Unknown - Highlands & Islay

Independent Bottling 

By Jean Boyer

Core Range 

Blended Malt 

Launched in 2023

Unchillfiltered, Uncoloured

Slightly Peated

 

 

 

Apparently, this one is the new addition to the Core Range at Jean Boyer, this French bottler who's been around since 1987. It is a blend of whiskies from the Highlands and Islay. We don't know the maturation, but it is certainly exclusively in Bourbon casks. It is described as an easy dram, something to drink as an aperitif. 

 

 

 

Let's Taste It : 

On the nose, slight astringency, ethereal smoke, very present peat but in the background, iodine and wood glue, evanescent fruits, misty vanilla and lemon zest. A few drops of seawater, seaweed, kelp. Fairly well-balanced. The palate is less interesting, a little too light and less nuanced, giving way to vanilla, a bit creamy, with robust spices, cloves, pepper, cumin. The finish is long, friendly, cola, lemon, an ounce of charcoal and earth, hazelnuts.

 

In Short, 

It's not bad at all for an aperitif. I liked the nose and the finish was decent, but the palate was a little light and lacked subtlety, nonetheless it was OK. The price is low, of course, so the curious won't be disappointed, but it's almost the same as the Caol Ila 12yo, which is considerably better.

Score : 84   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                           To Be Listened While Sipping :

 

                                           George Houston - In Aeternum Vive

Caol Ila 2016 Gifted Stills of Scotland

 

 

 

43° 

Distillery : Caol Ila - Islay

Bourbon Hogsheads

Independent Bottling 

By Jean Boyer  

Limited Edition 

Single Malt 

Bottled in 2021

Unchillfiltered, Uncoloured

Peated around 35 ppm

New packaging and great progress from the Gifted Stills range, which has become Gifted Stills of Scotland it seems. It's been around for a good fifteen years from the independent French bottler Jean Boyer, who began his career in 1987. Now we have information about chill filtration and the use of dyes, and I am satisfied to see that there is none. Moreover, we know the number of bottles produced, there are 1500 of them for this one. On the other hand, nothing about the exact age, this Caol Ila has matured in Small Batches, which have accelerated the ageing, but 4 to 5 years is still young.

Let's Taste It : 

On the nose, oily, maritime peat, mineral, calcareous, rocky. Later on, sour sweets, liquorice, candied lemon, fairly heavy vanilla, cereals galore. The palate is also oily, with a good pile of peat, muddy, silt, sea foam, kelp, dried fruits, raisins and apricots, fairly rough spices, cumin, grey pepper, clove. A decent, reasonably long finish with salted butter caramel, coffee and chocolate pralines. Iodine at the end. A touch of salt. Sea breeze, sand.

In Short, 

A success, this Caol Ila. I did not feel the youth of the product. Not outstanding, but well worth a visit. A bit pricey though. In terms of quality, it is between the Moch and the 12 years old. But its profile is quite original, which justifies a possible purchase to satisfy curiosity or if you are an absolute fan of the distillery.

Score : 86

                                          To Be Listened While Sipping :

  

                                          Leprous - On Hold

Tomatin 2008 Gifted Stills 7 yo

 

 

 

43°

Distillery : Tomatin - Speyside

Bourbon Casks

Independent Bottling 

By Jean Boyer 

Limited Edtion

Single Malt 

Bottled in 2015

Totally Unpeated

 

 

 

Jean Boyer started out as an independent whisky distributor in France, before quickly becoming a bottler himself in 1987. The Gifted Stills range is made up of small batches of innovative Scotch whiskies, according to the brochure. It's been around for 15 years. Unfortunately, there is no indication of whether the whisky is chill-filtered or coloured, or how many bottles are produced.

 

 

 

 

Let's Taste It : 

Quite a pastry nose, with Bourbon, genoise and whipped cream, hints of vanilla, but also some juicy fruits, peach and pineapple, banana. A touch of buttercream and icing sugar. Herbaceous notes of sage and fern. Cereals, wheat, rice and barley. On the palate, the vanilla comes through, it's smooth, pleasant, a little syrupy and watery, some spices but very discreet, cumin, ginger. It's very easy to swallow. Quite a long finish, earth and charcoal, heather, cola. Chestnut in its bug.

 

In Short, 

It's not bad at all, and would go very well as an aperitif. It's a good Tomatin, not very original and a little austere, but pleasant to drink. Unfortunately it's completely sold out, but in any case it seems that the price was too high to tempt a purchase.

Score : 85 

                                           To Be Listened While Sipping :

  

                                           Lady A - Need You Now

Peat Peak

 

 

 

43°

Distillery Officially Unknown - Speyside

Bourbon Casks and Sherry Finish

Independent Bottling 

By Jean Boyer

Core Range 

Blended Malt 

Launched in 2016

Unchillfiltered 

Although it comes from a single distillery, the fact that this whisky was bottled in France would not allow it to retain its Single Malt designation. Another example of these absurd regulations in the world of spirits. In any case, the distillate comes from a great Speyside distillery, the peat is neither smoky nor iodised, and I wouldn't be able to guess its origin. It does, however, seem to me to bear a slight resemblance to Benromach or Loch Lomond.

Let's Taste It : 

Vanilla on the nose, quite honeyed, soft and delicate, buttery, the peat is not at all overpowering. This is definitely Speyside peat, country peat, even farmland peat. Some orchard fruits and vegetables, but it remains austere overall. Smooth and balanced on the palate, with hazelnuts and other nuts, cashew nuts and a few white plums. Light spices but with character, turmeric and cloves. Warm chestnuts. Good but rather short finish, charcoal and earth, undergrowth, a pinch of cola.

 

In Short, 

In my humble opinion, it's not bad at all. It's a typical Speyside peat, which gives it a certain originality, it's not too young despite the absence of any mention of age, and it's decent overall. The price isn't outrageous, so you could say it's affordable.

Score : 84

                                          To Be Listened While Sipping :

  

                                          The Twelve Bar Bluesband - Life Is Hard (When You Play The Blues)