Whisky: Caol Ila 9 Year, WhiskySponge

Country/Region: Scotland/Islay

ABV: 53.6%

Cask: Refill Hogshead, Rejuvenated Hogshead

Age: 9 Years (Bottled 2021)

Nose: Maritime and mineral-rich, dissolved limestone, sandy shores, saltwater taffy, smoked citrus, driftwood, tar, faintly medicinal herbs— burning sage and rosemary.

Palate: Medium-bodied with mellow oily quality, tobacco, minerals, graphite, modeling clay, paper, hints of citrus and brine, burning medicinal herbs toward the finish.

Finish: Medium-length with citrus, salt, and hints of herbs.

Score: 6-7

Mental Image: Classroom Holiday Art Projects

Narrative & Notes: The aroma offered a maritime bounty of briny ocean and salt shores as dissolved minerals, wet sand, tide pools, sticky saltwater taffy, and the salty-mineral taste of seaside air lingered. Tar and burning pitch provided a smokier side to the aroma with hints of citrus and faintly medicinal herbs— perhaps a bouquet of burning sage and rosemary to clear the spirits. The palate was medium-bodied with a pleasant oily quality that carried a mineral-rich, briny malt with hints of cigarette butts. Elementary school art supplies came to mind with modeling clay, paper maché, and graphite pencils. Soft citrus and a mellow brine lingered with hints of those burning medicinal herbs. The finish was medium-length with citrus, brine, and more subtle hints of herbs and dissolved minerals.

The bottle explicitly asks that one avoid cluttering the internet with their opinions— so go away, internet, this is my space (though not posted on MySpace, but on a corner of the internet where I stash whisky-related things for easy retrieval… and to, on occasion, help out a lost soul that comes across it).

Overall, I enjoyed the flavor profile quite a bit. It was a bit simple at times and lacked the bite I wanted— but it is always nice to be reminded of grade school art projects, back when everything was excellent, and you never wondered what happened to your art after the holiday had passed. Perhaps you rediscover it in an attic twenty years later and wonder what the artist was even thinking… In this instance, I think this was a solid Caol Ila, easy to drink and enjoyable.

Image Credit: Decadent Drinks