Need advise: Caol ila, distillers edition 2004?

@RikS I hope somebody chimes in on this as I, too have it in my sight at $110 Can. I'm tossing it up with Glen Scotia 15 at the same price, and Glencadam 15 at a few bucks less.

@BlueNote Hi! Patience isnt always my virtue so ill chime in myself and let you know - im waiting to have it delivered this afternoon :-)) Ill mini review it

Good man!

@BlueNote Right, so tried this one now. If the Talisker is more smoke than medicinal, then this feels more medicinal than smoke. Though the C.I. DE is finished in Muscatel, there isn't much sweetness coming through. It's not very medicinal, nothing like a Laga, but it's probablu as far as I'm willing to go myself, not being a fan of Islay. It'll be interesting to keep this around in the coming weeks to see if I take to it... Compared to the Ledaig I tried earlier today, I'd say the Ledaig has more of a pronounced smoke (but not the peat / oodine of the C.I.) and I also found the Ledaig to be 'creamier' than the C.I. - the latter feels quite thin.

For me, the jury is still out on the Caol Ila, let's see how it (and I) evolve....

@RikS Thank you for that. That is very helpful information. I think I will pass on it until I can get a taste somewhere. I'll be on Islay in September so I'll wait and see what the distillery has to offer.

Cheers.

@RikS I find peoples perception of smoke and peat, and also the medicinal/iodine apect you mention, to be very variable. Note I say perception. The first bottle of single malt I ever had was Laphroaig 10, yet now I am not a fan of it as I just don't enjoy the peat profile it exhibits. However, I do enjoy the general peat profile of Ardbeg, Ledaig, and Port Charlotte. The most recent bottle of Lagavulin 16 I sampled (freshly opened) had a very intense iodine note, and I find Coal Ila somewhere in between. What's the point of all this? Although each person finds them different, I think that based on my tastes that you'd find something like Ardbeg 10 to have plenty of smoke and peat without much medicinal character. Try and find somewhere to taste it before you buy though! Otherwise, investigate some of the peated highland malts - they tend to be more ash-like in their smoke. Have fun investigating!

@Hewie Thank you! Yes, the whole 'peat' issue has been a somewhat confusing learning experience for me. I thought peat and smoke was... well, just that. And now I'm obviously realising - and joyfully experiencing - that it's a lot more interesting that so. I agree with your take on the Caol Ila, having tried a few others that come up as recommendations - incl e.g. Port Charlotte, I found Caol Ila more medicinal than I had expected. Definetly more Lagav than Ledaig... We'll see how that goes...

I'm surprised and intrigued (and a wee bit excited) about what you say about the Ardbeg though. I've had people telling me 'don't even go near it', but I have a suspicion (and hope) that you understand how my tastebuds like the "full-fumed sizzling steak-fat bonfire and warm smoked eel" peatiness... but not the "sit in a damp shirt smelling pungently of last night's cigarette smoke filled nightclub and chew on a used bandaid" peatiness. :-)

@RikS ha ha, that's an interesting way to describe them. I guess one point I'm trying to make is how different the same whisky can be experienced and described by different people. I think I feel I need to modify my suggestion for Ardbeg 10 by saying that my recollection of it was evocative of tarred ropes on an old sailing ship, it had a certain astringency (almost sourness) to the smoke - but not medicinal. Good to see you're having fun trying some different options.

@Hewie Right - I'll steal a sip from someone or get a sample, cause I think that it's precisely that "sour smoke" that I'm struggling with (AND the iodine/bandaid) - whereas I love heavily smoked salty crispy bacon and mackerel coated in black and cayenne pepper.

@BlueNote Here’s an interesting tidbit i just found out: Caol Ila and Lagavulin actually get the exactly same malt - in terms of peat and process - delievered from Port Ellen.

Wow, I did not know that! That should explain the similarities tastewise

@RikS @Alexsweden Interesting fact that! It seems most if not all of the distilleries on Islay get malted barley from Port Ellen Maltings. Some distilleries like Bowmore, Kilchoman and Laphroaig still have floor maltings for part of their production. Kilchoman grow a proportion of their own barley on their farm.

As an aside I've been intrigued by projects that use barley sourced from specific farms on Islay. For example Kilchoman 100% Islay and Bruichladdich Islay Barley. It's Interesting to see distilleries experimenting with barley sourcing in this way. With the same care that I would imagine a wine producer chooses what grapes go into their wine.

@Nickh @Alexsweden Yes, I suppose that comparison makes good sense. I ain't much of an expert, but I was recently given a mini lecture around the Balvenie Peat Week, and how the peat for that one is sourced more inland as well as deeper than the traditional Islay peat which apparently has more seaweed on the top-layers (and hence iodine).

@RikS those descriptives would be at home on a Laphroaig bottle you should upload them on the friends site.

@Pete1969 let's just say that my olfactory sense tends to be rather visual in nature. I may have a slight case of synaesthesia when it comes to whisky...