Gordon & MacPhail Caol Ila 1991

Tasted in Whisky Magazine Issue 40 by Martine Nouet and Dave Broom.

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Tasting Notes

Martine Nouet Nose Genuine Caol Ila. Creosote, lobster pot, wet sand. Big thick smoke. White pepper. With water, lime and smoked meat. Palate Sweet, despite strength. Lovely malty feel. Finish Long, warm, lingering, with lots of liquorice coming through. Comment What you nose is what you get. A beautiful uncompromising version of Caol Ila. More enjoyable when neat.

Dave Broom Nose Smoked ham/salami, then perfumed peat, coal bunker. Like the burnt grass at the edge of a campfire with slightly damp socks drying beside it. Palate Dry and sooty offset by a slightly oily texture and sweet soft fruits. Has complexity. Finish Short, crisp, smoky. Smoked fish. Comment A good example of how peaty drams need a balance of sweetness. Another Caol Ila cracker.