Caol Ila 13 Year Old 1999 G&M Exclusive for Asta Morris

I had not yet gotten round to writing notes for this Caol Ila from Asta Morris. Now that my bottled is almost empty, time to rectify that situation, before I have to beg Crazy Bert for a sample. It was bottled by Gordon & Macphail under their Exclusive label at 50% ABV, a great drinking strength.

Nice sweet/salty nose with oranges and pineapples left, delicate peat and sea water right. Pretty medicinal as well. Reminds me of disinfectant alcohol. Mild ashes and smoke, hints of tar and bicycle tyre. Even some plasticine. Laurel, which is quite surprising.

It is oily, feisty and spicy on the palate. Nutmeg, cinnamon and a clove or two. Yep, the bay leaf is back and more clear as well as the salt and peat. The fruit remains, but less outspoken. More citrus than on the nose. Midpalate it becomes nicely sweet, as if a lump of brown sugar was dumped into my dram. Drop of cod-liver oil. Very nice and very drinkable.

It remains sweet and spicy in the finish, that evolves towards a very salty and drying end station.

Quite a complexe Caol Ila, although my preference goes to bourbon matured expressions. That, of course, is a totally personal thing. But the, are not all tasting notes?

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