This is a Diageo gem. It’s 58% ABV but really doesn’t need water at all. In general, I think that this distillery does not rise to its full potential, part of it is because this is the main provider of peated whisky to the Diageo blends and part of it is that it seems that Lagavulin is favored by Diageo as the more boutique-y distillery. Enhancing my enjoyment of this dram was the fact that, I enjoyed it dram with a good friend and whisky connoisseur, Shai Gilboa.
Caol Ila Natural Cask Strength (58% ABV, 20 cl bottle)
Color: Light straw, thick fast legs, but alcohol trails remain for a while…
Nose: Pine, lemon cough drops, lemon meringue pie, vanilla. Then comes the peat with a lot of fresh lemon.
Palate: Lemon meringue pie in a glass….Very gentle, some bourbon cask sweetness and a very smooth taste despite being 58% ABV.
Linger: Long and lemony, with clean peat
This whisky feels and handles like it’s 10% less ABV than it actually is. Curious but good dram.
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