Caol Ila 10 year old Distillery Hand Fill Batch 2020/001 - 55.6%

 

This Caol Ila Distillery Exclusive has been matured for 10 years in first-fill ex-Bourbon barrels and is available as a cask strength ‘Bottle Your Own’ at the distillery.

Tasting notes: 

Appearance: Pale gold, forms a thin line which breaks and falls as slow, thin legs.

Nose: Vanilla tablet, gentle bonfire smoke, hints of stewed orchard fruit.

Palate: Follows on from the nose, creamy vanilla tablet with stewed Bramley apples are first to appear before soft bonfire smoke.

Finish: The finish becomes slightly woody with herbal lavender and drying oak tannins.

Summary: This is a subtle, relatively simple Caol Ila but pleasant nonetheless. With a few drops of water the light mouthfeel becomes creamier and allows the smokiness to develop further.

A decent, easy drinking dram,10 years old and cask strength, but is it value for money? OK, it’s a distillery exclusive with the added novelty of being able to bottle it yourself, but at the princely sum of £120 I’d have to say I was hoping for something a little less ordinary.