Caol Ila

[Gillman]

This is from Frodo and is a single barrel 50% abv, from Old Malt Cask. An excellent dram. It has a pronounced smoky taste against a clean, lightish body informed by light oak tannin and vanilla. A classic regional taste and one not obscured by excess sherry or overage.

Gary

[Gillman]

Frodo's second Caol Ila sample is a cask strength offering from the distillery itself (not a merchant) and a sturdy 55% abv.

It is different than the OMC single barrel. The smell is more complex, there is creosote and something tarry/vegetal against the smoky characteristic. The dram seems sweeter, too, than the OMC. Perhaps the distillery offering gains from having been aged on Islay (I am assuming - not sure about the OMC but it seems less complete in comparison).

They both share though an elemental Scots whiskyness.

Gary

[Frodo]

Glad you liked them Gary. The CI is one of the few Islay malts that is aged on the mainland in a Diagio warehouse. It is often pointed to by those that claim that microlocation has nothing to do with the characteristics of the dram (like where did that smokiness come from).