THE MILLER’S WHISKY – Score: 6.5/10
With an annual production nearing seven million liters, Caol Ila delights blenders such as Johnnie Walker as well as independent bottlers.
However, it is also the whisky with the least identifiable character. There are so many versions of Caol Ila on the market, each one more different than the last, that it becomes difficult to define its gustatory identity, unlike Laphroaig, Kilchoman, or even Ledaig.
It is, therefore, challenging for the uninitiated to navigate through, as each bottle offers a different whisky. But what a joy for adventurous palates.
This version, bottled by the venerable Cadenhead house, was distilled in 2012 and aged for eleven years in a rare Palo Cortado cask.
The result does not live up to the prestige of this sherry. The notes, heavily marked by grains (spelt, barley, etc.) and the sherry influence, give it a very intense finish of yeast extract, licorice, and black pepper. The peat is moderately intense.
An average whisky, too unbalanced between the grain and the spicy side.
