Whisky: Caol Ila 8 Year (2014), Douglas Laing Cask DL16768 for K&L

Country/Region: Scotland/Islay

ABV: 55.5%

Cask: Refill Barrel

Age: 8 (Distilled March 2014, Bottled Oct. 2022)

Nose: Sugary hard candies, maritime, driftwood, acrid creosote, tar, slightly medicinal, peanut brittle, more banana with time.

Palate: Medium-bodied, slightly oily, maritime, phenolic, toasted herbs, tar, resinous, charred lemon, prickly pepper.

Finish: Medium-length with charred fruit, black pepper, and wispy smoke.

Score: 6 (77)

Mental Image: Novelty Islay-Flavoured Jelly Beans

Narrative & Notes: Sweet phenolic candies in flavors of kelp, ocean brine, driftwood, tar, creosote, and peanut brittle developed on the nose, offering a grab bag of classic notes in candied form. A touch of medicinal herbs and tar, or burning resin, lingered in the background with a touch of banana. Medium-bodied on the palate with a bit of oiliness, introducing sweet maritime brine and phenolic candies. Toasted herbs and tar with resinous medicinal compounds lingered in the background, with charred lemon and a dose of pepper arriving toward the end. The finish was medium-length, with charred fruits, pepper, and a touch of wispy smoke.

Young and uncomplicated, the barely tamed phenolic character of the malt veered strongly in the direction of candies and sweets. It felt very similar to young, heavily peated Bunnahabhain, which can have a similar phenolic-candy quality (see this SMWS cask, for instance). There was plenty of youthful pepperiness toward the finish, but I was impressed at how well the spirit was integrated into the malt. There was no mistaking the youthfulness of the whisky, but it had fewer sharp edges than I expected.  Water helped tame some of the pepper but elevated some of the sweet phenolic notes, especially those teases of banana, which I found less than ideal.

Overall, a fine malt with billowing peat and plenty of candied sweetness— too much for my taste.