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Caol Ila 2013 9 years

A BOURBON TAR – Score: 6/10

It seems we simply cannot leave the island of Islay—particularly the ever-prolific Caol Ila distillery.

This time, we are tasting a bottling from the young Scottish independent bottler Watt Whisky, whose founder and his wife are deeply involved in every stage of the process. Legend has it that the brand’s logo represents an olfactory cell, and its color is said to match the hue perceived by the master blender when nosing the whisky—a rare ability known as olfacto-visual synesthesia.

But does this gift ensure the selection of exceptional casks? Let us find out.

The least we can say is that this whisky is an outright assault on the palate, bursting with a myriad of flavors—albeit in complete chaos. It opens with berries and prunes, all wrapped in an intense charcoal-laden smoke that veers into tar-like territory. Liège syrup asserts itself, yet remains dominated by this tarred profile, leading into a finale reminiscent of a concentrated dose of Marmite.

Rich, certainly—but far too intense to be truly enjoyable.

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