Caol Ila 2003 G&M Sassicaia Wood Finish
45% ABV - Islay, Scotland
Nose: Mineral, very lightly peated – but it’s a dense cloud, some underlying sweetness and lighter florals, with candied or dried red fruits coming through. Subsequent sips brought slight citrus (grapefruit).
Taste: Smoke and peat are upfront dominant, followed by fruits, raisins, again a slight minerality, and topped by ginger and spices.
Finish: Citrus guides the smoke and ash, honey, spices, sourdough bread, and slightly drying or tannic.
This bottle from the Private Collection series by Gordon & MacPhail brings together two of my favourite things: Caol Ila and wine barrel finished (or matured) whiskey – in this delicious dram we have Sassicaia, the ‘Super Tuscan’ red wine,... and yes, Caol Ila, an inoffensive peated Islay malt.
It packs a comparable fruity punch as the Distiller’s Editions, but takes on some lighter flavours. Side by side comparison would be amazing! This near 13-year old Caol Ila spent its last 33 months in “the finest” ex-Sassicaia barrels. And, for comparison, the Distiller’s Edition spends in an unknown amount of time in ex-Moscatel.
I feel that I took a well-researched chance on this bottle; I knew I liked Caol Ila (a lot), and I was recently enamoured by an 8-year old Benromach finished in Sassicaia. Pulling the flavours of the ex-wine barrel (somewhat quite literally) and the gentle smoke of the peated single malt results in a near whisky-utopia!
Details: G&M Private Collection, 10/09/2003 - Aug 2016, 4000 Bottles.
Tasted 13 October 2018. Posted 05 December 2018.
