When inĀ Scotland and particularlyĀ in Elgin, you do need to pay a visit toĀ the Gordon MacPhail shop! The shop opened by James Gordon and John Alexander MacPhail in 1895 is still in the same place as where they started.Ā In the whisky room can be found more than 1,000 different whiskies, including of course their own label but also a nice selection of old and rare whiskies. You can imagineĀ that I could not walk out here without buying something! šĀ And this is one of the purchases: A Caol Ila 2003.
This Caol Ila is has matured in 1st fill bourbon barrels, bottled in 2015 at 46% ABV.
Caol Ila 2003 tasting notes:
Nose: Slightly peat and smoke. There are some fresh citrus fruits, like lemon. Later some creamy butterscotch and almonds in the background.
Taste: Just a little bit of gentle smoke and ash maybe? A hint of salt and some vanilla sweetness.
Finish: The finish is mid-long and here is the smoke again. A hint of vanilla and the citrus fruits are back again. A bit dry.
It is light, clean and gentle. It is not a complex whisky, but just highly enjoyable. A nice daily dram perhaps?
