Caol Ila 8 Year (2013), SMWS “Throw the Cork Away!”
Whisky: Caol Ila 8 Year (2013), SMWS “Throw the Cork Away!”
Country/Region: Scotland/Islay
ABV: 58.4%
Cask: First Fill American Oak Oloroso Hogshead Finish
Age: 8 Years (Distilled 1 April 2013, Bottled 2022)
Nose: Roasted vegetables, caramelized balsamic, salted caramel, smoked caramel, oyster sauce, meaty smoked pork, mesquite wood, tobacco, mellow medicinal herbs.
Palate: Medium-bodied, oily, roasted cuttlefish, chocolate bacon, candied espresso beans, black sugar buns, smoked pork, mesquite, nutty, lemon pepper, burning grass at the end.
Finish: Medium to long and drying with burning grass, chocolate, salt, and meat.
Score: 7+
Mental Image: Renaissance Faire Royalty
Narrative & Notes: Imagine sitting in a comfy worn leather chair next to a smoking barbecue; you are the taste tester for the king. Roasted vegetables with a caramelized balsamic glaze, caramelized brown sugar, salted smoked caramel candies, hoisin sauce, barbecued meats, and smoked pork infused with mesquite smoke. A hit of tobacco smoke and a mild tonic of medicinal herbs helps to settle the stomach post-feast. Medium-bodied and oily, the flavor profile featured an elevated roastiness: roasted sweet salty cuttlefish, crispy salty chocolate bacon, candied espresso beans, smoked pork, and smoldering mesquite wood. Black sugar buns and crushed walnut pastries offered a sweet high note, while lemon pepper and burning grass brought thoughts back to the barbecue at the end. The finish was medium to long with burning grass, chocolate, salt, and meat.
With this review, I have finally finished reviewing the SMWS 20222 Festival Lineup, just in time for the 2023 releases. All the others I posted long ago, but this Caol Ila lingered, in no small part, because it was my favorite of the set. I thought the first fill American oak oloroso hogsheads played nicely with the peaty Caol Ila malt. The flavors were well-integrated, and there were no off or spirited notes to distract from the barbecue. The roasted vegetable quality on the nose was particularly interesting; when our local whisky group first poured this, we all seemed thunderstruck by a burning agave note and the impression of something akin to tequila. I never entirely found that same note again, but it had a definitely vegetal quality.
Overall, I generally enjoy Caol Ila, so it was no surprise I thought this was wonderful. It stood out among the SMWS festival lineup, bringing something a bit different to the table than the typical SMWS Caol Ila release. I enjoyed this even more when I revisited it for a final tasting.
