Whisky: Caol Ila 9 Year (2014), Thompson Brothers for Limburg Festival 2023

Country/Region: Scotland/Islay

ABV: 52.3%

Cask: PX Quarter Cask (9 mo.)

Age: 9 Years (Distilled 27 Feb. 2014, Bottled March 2023)

Nose: Wispy smoke and maritime brine, apple bananas and fried plantains, smoldering coals and hot iron, hints of pork fat with herbal spice, fried pastries, pears, and berries.

Palate: Medium-bodied and oily, almost syrupy at times, maritime brine, sweet grill smoke, sizzling pork fat, loads of bananas and fruits, honey, earth and green coffee toward the end with hints of tobacco smoke.

Finish: Medium to long with caramelized fruits, salt, and grill smoke.

Score: 5-6

Mental Image: Full Moon Market Fried Plantain Stand

Narrative & Notes: The aroma was weirdly fruity— a jaunt through a tropical market where wispy smoke from the vendor’s grills mingled with the salinity of the ocean air, but sweet apple bananas, green bananas, fried pastries, and fried plantains with honey and brown sugar stole the show. Smoldering coals and hot iron recalled makeshift corrugated steel grill tops with metal, sizzling pork fat, toasted thyme and rosemary, and sweet marinades made with berries or pulverized pears. Medium-bodied, the whisky was oily on the palate and syrupy when it took a fruity turn. The flavors danced from coastal brine to sweet caramelization and slightly acrid smoke. Sizzling pork sat a bit further in with toasted herbs, pears, and loads of bananas— fried green bananas and plantains offered starchy caramelization. Honeyed sweetness lingered toward the end with earth, cacao husks, tobacco smoke, and green coffee. The finish was medium to long with caramelized fruits, salt, and grill smoke.

A few drops of water brought out more fruit on the palate, washing out some of the viscosity and slightly acrid notes. I preferred it without water, though let me admit right away, I do not care for banana notes. Maybe I am overly sensitive to them, and weirdly enough, I enjoy bananas. Still, whenever I find them on a whisky, I struggle to get past them. To that end, this reminded me of the Westland Peat Week from 2021 (cask 438, cask 6732) and the peated 7-year sibling cask that Single Cask Nation released— I was not a fan of those, but if you were, this might also have been up your alley, or vice versa.

I think it is probably about time I come to terms with the fact that I do not seem to like Caol Ila as much when it has matured or finished in wine or sherry casks. There are exceptions to that, but by and large, I have rated them lower than their ex-bourbon counterparts. I enjoy loads of other Islay malts in sherry— Bowmore comes to mind as one I prefer in it— but Caol Ila often feels a bit misdirected or led astray under the influence of the wine cask.

Overall, not bad, but not to my taste.

Image Credit: Whiskybase