Whisky: Caol Ila 10 Year (2009) SMWS 53.316 “Wood shavings in a boatyard”

Country/Region: Scotland/Islay

ABV: 57.5%

Cask: Refill Bourbon Hogshead

Age: 10 Years (Distilled 20 Feb. 2009)

Nose: Maritime, herbal, medicinal, driftwood, mellow tobacco with hints of menthol, old fire pits and ashtrays.

Palate: Medium-bodied, acrid, maritime, ash, driftwood, burn pit, hints of saltwater taffy.

Finish: Medium-length with tarry ropes and an herbal-medicinal edge.

Score: 5

Mental Image: Beach Day Burn Pit

Narrative & Notes: My sinuses quickly cleared with one whiff from this salty, herbal monster from Islay. Intensely maritime from the start, herbal notes danced between medicinal and tobacco with hints of menthol throughout. Camphor relaxed the muscles while nori chips, ogo, and sea asparagus promised a salty snack. An underlying smoke, or char, came through with old burnt-out driftwood bonfire pits and forgotten ashtrays. Medium-bodied, the flavor profile was salty and acrid— seawater and ashtray-flavored saltwater taffies from a haunted, abandoned, coastal candy maker’s shack. Burning beach debris; driftwood, oil-soaked rags, tarry ropes, and an old rubber shoe. The finish was medium-length with tarry ropes and medicinal herbs.

The first time I ever tried this whisky, I remember enjoying it, yet, when I sat down to review it a few years later, I could not remember why I liked it so much. During my first revisit, it felt incredibly acrid and simple; on subsequent returns, I gave it about an hour to breathe and found more depth and interplay between the herbal-medicinal notes.

Overall, young brash Caol Ila can be excellent if that is what you crave, and sometimes I do. This pulled toward the acrid side of things, and while it had a lovely maritime quality and some intriguing hints of an herbal medicinal nature, it lacked the balance brought by the citrus and fruit elements that Caol Ila can have. I thought this was better reduced with a healthy tablespoon of water or a long rest.