Douglas Laing Double Barrel 10 Year Old Caol Ila / Braeval

Six months ago I tried my first Double Barrel from Douglas Laing. It was the Ardbeg & Glenrothes combo, that did not really convince me. My expectations for this Caol Ila & Braeval vatting are higher. I am crazy about Caol Ila and recently had quite a few lovely Braeval as well. But will the combination work? Let us find out!

Well, well, on the nose this is a successful marriage. The fruity Braeval keeps the young and smoky Caol Ila under control. Well spiced, too. Banana and apricots walk hand in hand with sweet peat and olive oil.

Beautifully oily with creamy sweetness up front (banana). But the medicinal notes of the Ileach are not to be disregarded. Tar, liquorice, salt: they are all present. The balans is very good. The spices speak a little louder now.

Mildy drying with a little bitterness at the death. Good finish.

So why put tin in the title, you wonder? Being (happily) married for ten years is called a tin marriage. This undoubtedly is a happy couple. Great pure malt. Sorry, vatted malt. No, wait: blended malt. Djeez.