Review #296-298: Caol Ila Gordan & MacPhail World Whisky Day tasting
I stumbled across a couple Caol Ila IBs from BC Merchants for some real throwback prices so I picked them up. I had never heard of BC Merchants but at these prices, worth the gamble. Caol Ila is an Islay distillery owned by everybody's favorite corporate conglomerate Diageo. They are more on the moderate peated style on Islay. For World Whisky Day, I lined them up for a tasting. Any items in italics is with water. Caol Ila Gordan & MacPhail Connoisseurs Choice 2004 13 Year Islay - 13 - NCA - NCF - $100 - 45% This whisky was initially matured in first fill and refill ex-bourbon casks for 13 years. Then they were finished in Hermitage (Northern Rhone red wine) for 3 years. The yield is 3922 bottles, so I am guessing it is a batch of 13-17 barrels originally. Color - Burnt Amber Nose - Red wine, honey, malt, hemp rope - fades into cherry and peakreeks Palate - Cherry, malt, apple, ginger, pea...
