Nose: An old-fashioned tuck shop greats the nostrils; sherbet, Refreshers sweets and various boiled items in jars (the kind that shatter your teeth instantly). There’s also an assortment of “Cinema Snacks” – mainly chocolate-coated raisins and toffee popcorn. Hints too of walnut, ginger and mace.
Palate: Very rich (and at 64%abv that means VERY rich), offering up stem ginger in syrup, parma violets, lemon meringue pie, chili and melted rum & raisin ice cream.
Finish: Long and sublimely sweet with exotic spices and pear juice.
Overall: A recurring theme of almost soapy parma violets seems to be popping up! A very unusual Caol Ila, and certainly one of the best Unpeated Caol Ilas we’ve had.