North Star - Caol Ila 9 years old PX Finish

Another one from the good folks at North Star Spirits, for a small outfit they are rather creative, I believe the finish on this Caol Ila was done in house.

So this Caol Ila was distilled in 2009, aged in a refill Bourbon hogshead and finished for an unspecified amount of time in a PX seasoned cask.

Nose: Green briny peat, cigar ash, oyster shells. A slight perfume edge (lilacs, juniper, grapes stems), blackcurrants, a bit of ointment, finally another surge of ashy peat smoke. It's not super complex, but perfectly pleasant Islay nose, it reminds me a bit of some Kilchoman PX casks.

Palate: Sweet to start but then quickly turns ashy and mineral, a bit of fruits in the backdrop, apricots, berry jam, otherwise the PX influence is very delicate. Loads of grains, porridge, lamp oil, coastal & smoky.

Finish: Sharp, lemon peel, mineral, tarry, menthol and a bit of herring. It"S overall kind of short.

Notes:Very much in line with many other young Islay whiskys, I found the peat a bit stuffy for a Caol Ila, the PX finish is very light and quite a contrast to the Bunnahabhain 14 I tasted alongside it on both occasions.

I've scored both the same, well done but not my preferred style.

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