Notes: While staying in Elgin I had the chance to stop in at the retail shop for Gordan & MacPhail. The choices were pretty overwhelming and as I was staying in Speyside I wanted to get something from a little further out. After multiple tastings, I decided on this lovely dram from Islay. I believe this is also the new bottle art for G&M which I think looks pretty nice.
‘This new Discovery Range was created to offer the utterly dependable and consistent choice of their finest whiskies. Each expression sits within the bold flavour profiles of either ‘Sherry’, ‘Smoky’ or ‘Bourbon’ making these single malts the perfect match for the whisky lover who enjoys exploration through flavour and character.’ This Caol Ila 13 Years Old has been matured in bourbon casks.’
Distiller: Caol Ila
Bottler: Gordan & MacPhail
ABV: 43%
Age: 13 years
Source: Gordan & MacPhail, Elgin
Colour: Amber
Nose: Rested 2 minutes. Iodine, smoke and peat. Dried meat smell. Faint sweetness. Rested 10 minutes. Iodine and smoke mellows out to give way to more of the sweet/floral notes.
Taste: Initial fruity sweetness, medicinal taste, slight peppery spiciness. Peaty, quite well balanced.
Finish: Medium. Oh my, the oiliness. If you like oily whisky this is amazing. Smoke and peat is prominent, little to no burn.
Overall: I love heavily peated whiskys and this is a very good example. The super oily mouth feel is amazing. I would really have liked for this to be higher ABV, however at 43% it is very easy to drink, perhaps too easy. Would be interesting to see something similar finished in sherry.