Review #204: Gordon & Macphail Caol Ila 11 First Fill Sherry #306195

Islay - 11 - NCF - NCA - $70 - 59.8%

Caol Ila is an Islay distillery owned by everybody's favorite conglomerate Diageo. I have had one other Caol Ila sherry IB and it was fantastic.  Lets see if this one can recreate that magic.  

Color - Deep Gold (lighter than I would think for first fill)

Nose - Fruit and smoke - raisins, nutmeg, vanilla, perfume, bitter orange, match smoke

Palate - Honey, generic sherried fruit, sandlewood, hints of smoke 

Finish - Medium - Bonfire smoke, apricots, heat (excusable for the ABV), sherry spice

Overall - 6 - This was a bit of surprise for being first filled sherry.  Everything from the color to the flavor had the feeling of a 2nd or 3rd refill sherry.  The palate and finish was just sort of generic.  There was nothing exciting or complex from this.  I can't see myself ever picking this up over Frog 10 cask strength or Ugi at the same price or cheaper.  

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Rating system is price influenced as it is based on my shopping decisions when buying a bottle.

10 Best in Show

9 Great Dram for Special Occasions

8 Worthy of consistent spot in my collection

7 Worth picking up a bottle if in the mood

6 I would buy a bottle if it went on sale
5.5 I really enjoyed but it will never be priced at where I would buy a bottle

5 I would drink it happily if offered

4 I would drink it if offered on the rocks

3 Maybe some soda will make this potable

2 I'll Pass

1 Toilet cleaner

Inclusive Ratings

Overall 6.1

Standard Deviation 0.91

Skew 0.66

Kurtosis -0.16