Caol Ila 2008 Post-Octave (52.8%, Duncan Taylor, 2018)

• Category: Islay single malt scotch whisky
• Origin: Caol Ila distillery
• Bottling: Duncan Taylor, The Octave, IB
• ABV: 52.8%
• Cost: ?

What they say

For many years, Duncan Taylor Scotch Whisky Ltd. has experimented in the use of differing cask sizes for the maturation of Single Malt and Single Grain Scotch whiskies. The research stemmed from a simple premise that there is more interaction between the wood and the spirit over a shorter period of time in a small cask than in a large cask, therefore allowing a more rapid “melding” of wood, air and alcohol.

What I say

Thanks to Duncan Taylor for the sample.

Distilled at Caol Ila in 2008 matured in an ex-bourbon cask and transferred to a sherry octave cask for an indeterminate finishing period.

My tasting notes:

• Appearance: Sauternes gold (8/20), medium-fine tears with tapered legs.
• Nose: Smoke and barbecue’d marinated meats, fresher plums and red fruits, soy sauce, even a touch of sherry balsamic vinegar, much more savoury, then a dry or damp wood smell, dunnage warehouse, beach sand and dry rope.
• Taste: Red and dried fruits, HP/fruity sauce, spiced, pepper, cinnamon, ginger, clove, mace, charred wood, burnt meat, bbq beef, charred bacon rinds a little ascerbic and eucalyptus oil like in places, very tarry/bitumen
• Finish: Long, smoked, dried and burnt wood, a little bitter, dark coffee grinds.

Overall

Again a very different experience, lots has moved around in this whisky when compared to the pre-octave and a heap of spices added, although here they are less distracting than the Highalnd Park Post-Octave. A lot more burnt, but dry burnt rather than over-caramelised sugars. Although the same score I prefer the Pre-Octave Caol Ila.

Score 86/100

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