A quick sip of the Caol Ila from the same series as the previous Ledaig. Roughly the same age too. Thanks to PY for this!
Gordon and Macphail Connoisseur's Choice Caol Ila 2001 - 2014
Nose - A little meaty, but not as big as in the Ledaig. That one was a cured meat market. This one feels more like the smell of ham lingering on the plate after the ham's been eaten. Fruity - apple peel, pear peel. Not quite the fruit itself though. This is "greener". A touch of vanilla and coconut - was this matured in a refill bourbon cask? Peat is not very strong in this, but rather smoky. Seems fairly characteristic of a Caol Ila, but perhaps with a bit more intensity. This vintage is better than the OB 12 year old.
Palate - This is smooth. Doesn't have much of an alcohol bite, and it is fairly velvety in texture. A fair amount of pepper, but the pepper doesn't hit hard. More like a low flame than a big blaze. The smoke is assertive, without extinguishing the fruitiness. Again, some apple peel, pear peel, and maybe a bit of coconut, but I'm not sure. Feels like a creamy smoked fruit. Does such a thing exist? Has anyone had smoked durians...? There's some savoury meatiness in there too, which makes it harder to distinguish the fruit. Maybe a guava with a bit of plum salt? The kind that you get at Singapore fruit stalls. Speaking of guava with salt, the best one I've ever tasted was from Taiwan, at the Huayuan Night Market at Tainan.
Finish - The pepper goes out with one last hurrah, leaving a tingling spiciness in its wake. This one lasts long. I had to put out the pepper with water to get a second taste.Anything else on the finish? Hmm. Faint smokiness, pepper...I don't think any of the fruits survived the last pepper blast.
Overall: The Ledaig was more fun and whacky, but this is classier. A good dram that showcases classic Caol Ila, but turns it up a notch. Good for its age! And, considering that PY got this at the same sale where I got the Ledaig, very value for money.
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