Càrn Mòr Caol Ila 8 Years (Bottled 2021)

NOSE: tobacco, definitely sherry, vanilla, butter, strawberries, peat, chocolate TASTE: sweet&sweet plus peated smash, tobacco & leather FINISH: bit of tobacco, sweet & sherry

Okay, here’s the deal. Independent Caol Ilas are often amazing. And when they kick up the ABV, even if only a bit, it goes a long way. So this bottle at this price point is fantastic, despite the fact that it’ll be hard to find outside the UK. Nose: spirit-driven nose with that kick-ass Caol Ila iodine peat; a lighter briny note than I’m used to with standard bottling a of Caol Ila, but still very present. And of course, the sherry from the oloroso adds a rich, cooked fruit and raisinesque dimension. Palate: The oloroso sherry really cuts through on the arrival; it’s a rich, voluptuously sweet, peaty, black peppery. Less salt on this Caol Ila, for sure. I prefer the briny stuff, so I’m a bit underwhelmed. But again, for the price it’s stellar. Finish: The brine finally comes at the end and it lingers. Thank God. A damp earth finish that smolders for hours. Don’t put this with a cigar because they’ll annihilate each other. And the mouthfeel is like those times when you finish a bag of over-buttered movie popcorn...which is to say, oily and delectable