Caol Ila 2005 Cask Strength (Gordon & Macphail)

My personal tasting notes are unclear about this bottling - it was definitely a G&M 2005/2016 cask strength bottling, but there are at least two with different cask combinations. The abv I recorded also doesn't match either of them. Oops. Nose: A strong, fresh, and invigorating iodine-heavy smokiness. Very maritime and dry. Grilled lemon, pineapple, and grapefruit; wet hessian bags, fresh thyme, bay leaf, and linseed oil. Gammon steaks and herring sizzling in a steamboat's galley. As it rests in the glass, the nose gradually softens, allowing more subtle orchard fruit notes to emerge from the background. There are some mezcal-like vegetal and mineral aromas present. Palate: A shimmering, intensely peaty arrival with lemon and cloudy green apple juices in the background. As it develops, it expands, builds in heat, and blooms to fill the mouth with clouds of smoke and a hint of salt licorice. There's also a sweet briny tang, like the juice from freshly shucked oysters eaten straight from the rocks on a beach. The grilled fruits from the nose return, sprinkled with salt. Water softens the palate, adds a bit more sweetness, and makes the development more controlled. Finish: Long, long, long... ashy bonfire smoke and sweet oysters with a squeeze of lemon. A beautifully sour/bittersweet/salty aftertaste. I suggest tasting this neat first (it's angular and spiky, but not tight or burning) and then with just a few drops of water. Don't add too much, or it will spoil the nose, which has some wonderfully intense aromas to savor. Dilution is primarily for the palate, making it more subtle and approachable. This marvelous whisky would be perfect to sip while sitting rugged up in a warm coat on a porch overlooking the sea on a brisk spring day. It's a very maritime experience with no off notes, and is one of the finest peated whiskies I've encountered in quite some time. "Very Good": 87/100 (4.25 stars)

It smells strongly of smoke, reminiscent of barbecued fish, with some citrus undertones, like mandarins or oranges. But the taste is quite a journey! It begins heavily smoky, with the smoke lingering like a good spicy cigar, followed by hints of lemon, then the arrival of pear and apples. The flavors complement each other and build with some salty undertones until it settles into a smooth finish. I momentarily lost track of time.

Nose: Apple, vanilla, sweet cream, peat smoke, bubblegum, raspberry. Palate: Unwatered – sharp, smoky, light body. With water – much smoother, sweetness emerges, smoke remains, vanilla cookies, subtle vegetal, seaweed notes. Finish: Long, spicy, warming, peat, iodine, oak, leather. An outstanding example of Caol Ila. The high alcohol content perfectly illustrates the differences with and without water. An enjoyable drink.

Quite enjoyable.