Caol Ila Bladnoch forum bottling 1980 / 2009

A 28 year old single cask bottling from the Bladnoch forum. This 1980 Caol Ila has plenty of peat on the nose but still not as much as I expected. It has something of a medicinal iodine hint but nothing too overpowering.

In the mouth it is big, really big. Maybe some would say oily. Lots of smoke and heat from the high alcohol content. The peat comes through more here than it does on the nose but its far more than just peat. There’s a whole lot going on here, very complex. I first thought of a deep fruit flavour behind the smoke, kind of like stewed plums, but that isn’t quite right. I think its more like vegetables, definitely earthy.

Finish is nice and long and burning. Without water it has a lovely tight intensity. With water it opens up a little but I’m not sure, maybe I like the tightness of it at 55% more. A fantastic dram.

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