Whisky : Caol Ila 5 Year; The Maltman

Country/Region : Islay

ABV : 54.9%

Cask : Ex-Sherry Cask (Distilled Jan. 2014, Bottled May 2019)

Tasting : Neat in a Glencairn @ Home

Nose : Opens with rich crackling meats: sizzling bacon or charred pork belly.  Burning mesquite or pine logs offer a fragrant smoke behind the meat.  The influence of the sherry comes through in sweet treacle or cinnamon hot chocolate.  Marshmallows and sticky taffy give the impression of sweet almost creamy candy.  There are bits of leather, dark roasted coffee, and tart grape fruit.  The wife described it as a smokey peanut butter or nougat making it almost sound like a bacon wrapped snickers bar.

Palate :  Medium bodied the dram starts off with a dose of sweet cinnamon spice, ginger, and a bit of slightly bitter menthol.  Kiawe-Mesquite wood smoke turns the sugar notes more toward a BBQ sauce.  Cocoa and salted toffee pretzel come out more over time as the sweet and spice of the initial burst fades.

Finish :  Lovely lingering coals and a hot tingle from the youthful spirit.

Score : 7

Mental Image :  Bacon wrapped fried snickers bar.

Something Better : Bowmore 1997 Distillery Selection (similar chocolate/coffee, more complex/body)

Something Similar : Westland Garryana 2018 (similar BBQ, more vinegar twangy, more complex finish)

Something Worse : Lagavulin 16 (similar profile & flavor beats, less finish, less intense aroma)

Notes :  A beautiful young Caol Ila.  The aroma is wonderfully complex and the flavor profile of the palate nicely balanced.  This does not drink like it is just five years old.  Aside from a bit of heat on the palate at the outset, the finish is the only place where the dram gives the impression of spirited youth.  This is a lovely complex Caol Ila, probably a second or refill sherry cask, the flavors of peat, malt, and cask balance against one another so well.  

This dram makes a great case for not ignoring younger age statements, especially when they are bottled by a reputable independent bottler. Age is just a number and one data point for the consumer to consider.  If asked to pick between this and an older dram with some similar profile notes, say Lagavulin 16, I would never want to assume that just because they are the same price that I am somehow getting ripped off if I chose the malt with the age statement 2/3s younger than the other. That would be a mistake, especially as this was superb. I would gladly grab this out of my cabinet on a Wednesday when I need a bit of a treat to get me through the week’s remaining lectures, meetings, and grading sessions. I will savor what I have left and look forward to finding more gems from the Islay behemoth.