Caol Ila Stitchell Reserve (2013 Special Release)

Overall summary: This is a damn fine scotch. Detailed version: Lovely scents - citrus, light, fruity, warm, and strong! If I had ever theoretically poured a glass to take with me to a neighbor's house down the road, then I would bet (pretty confidently) that the fragrance would reach your nose from its cup holder and fill the car with an amazing combination of scents. And the flavors are lovely - woody and smooth. Some hints of crisp apple and honey - it's unpeated but has a nice smoky finish that lingers. Also, a heads up that it's cask strength (59.6% ABV) but doesn't have a harsh burn. Don't get me wrong - it has a nice kick - but the alcohol is subtle in the same way a huge guy in a suit, sitting at a table at a well-known Italian restaurant/mob hangout, with a gun peeking out of his coat is subtle. You know he's there. He knows you know he's there. But no need for him to make a spectacle of himself. Ladies and gentlemen - this is Barry White meets Isaac Hayes. This is whisky - as in dimly lit rooms, leather chairs, really good friends, and cigar smoke whisky. The taste lingers, kind of like the way an old girlfriend's perfume scent always seemed to hang around on the sheets long after she'd left the next morning. And that's how you should enjoy it. Slowly and lovingly. Sit back and relax because this scotch is fun to spend time with. I drink this one every once in awhile to remind me what good tastes like.

Nose: Honey, lemon, green apple, white grapes, heather flowers, sea-mist. Adding water significantly mutes the nose and it takes some resting time to recover. Once recovered, it offers tropical fruit aromas, sweat, and a little light honey. [The aroma from the empty glass is lightly floral and vaguely resembles Highland Park]. Palate: A strong, forcefully spicy arrival that is completely unexpected from the nose. Sour apples and bitter melon, lemon zest, and slightly over-brewed but weak black tea. Pine resin, pine needles, sawdust. Adding water tames the performance but tends to confuse everything, creating a blend of flavors that never really sorts itself out. If adding water, use sparingly. Finish: Medium/long. Spicy, malty, and grassy. A faint bitter aftertaste. Let this one rest. Give it time. Give yourself time. This is not a peated Caol Ila and it is unlike any other Caol Ila you've ever tasted before (unless you've had an unpeated cask-strength independent bottling). It's very tightly bound by the high alcohol and demands water; however, it's a finicky malt that flourishes when the right amount of water (just a few drops) is added, but collapses into chaos if drowned. This tasting is based on a finished bottle. It's likely difficult to find this malt now except through auctions – personally, I won't bother to acquire another. Interesting, certainly worth a taste, but neither compelling nor a good value. "Good": 83/100 (3.5 stars)

After sampling the unpeated 18 and 15-year-old versions, I really wish this brand would make one of these expressions a permanent offering. I know most of their spirit is used in blends like Johnnie Walker, but these have been excellent so far. Let's hope the Stitchell Reserve from 2013 is just as good. Smell: Sugar cookie and plum skin. Toffee and toasted almond. Raspberry and sweet cola. Honeydew. Vanilla. Apple, pear, apricot, and floral notes. Caramel and butterscotch. A hint of sea salt. Cinnamon, baking spice, and oak. Taste: Plum skin, golden raisin, date, and fig. Toffee, vanilla, and sugar cookie. Toasted almond and caramel. Apple, pear, and apricot. Milk chocolate. A slight hint of sea salt and seaweed. Cinnamon, baking spice, and oak. Finish: Plum, apple, pear, and apricot. Plum and golden raisin. Toasted almond, caramel, vanilla, and toffee. Cinnamon, black pepper, baking spice, and oak. A long finish—as expected from a 59.6% whisky. Fantastic. Unpeated spirit from this distillery does it again. This brings me back to my original point. Why aren't there more of these? This definitely continues the trend set by the 18 and 15-year-old versions. This cost me $100 within the last couple of years, which is a fortunate find considering it was a 2013 release. Considering the price, it gets a 4.75/5, largely due to the finish. Amazing spirit from this distillery.

My 499th review features an Islay Malt. Perhaps the one I forget most often, Caol Ila, which I respect but don't appreciate as much as Ardbeg, Laphroaig, or Lagavulin. Actually, this high-strength dram was part of a future release from an independent bottler set to enter the market soon (in fall 2019). Bottled at 59% ABV with a pale straw color. On the nose, a lot is happening, but not necessarily the most appealing things. Lemon, peat, pure alcohol, or as we call it in Ecuador: PURO. Agave from tequila, grapefruit, dry grass, and tea – the kind old people drink. Not my favorite aroma, but complex enough for a solid score. On the palate, very few notes, but very clean and delicious ones. Chinese Tea, Chocolate, a dry sensation, lemon. Nothing more, but it's really good. The aftertaste is where the Islay profile truly comes through. For a 59% ABV, there's no alcohol burn or unbearable spiciness. Smoke, peat, beach notes, sand, peppery spice. Overall, this isn't my favorite dram, but I have to be objective. Due to its complexity and skillful crafting, I give it a 90 out of 100.

I've put off having another serving of this for months simply because I wanted to get another bottle. I won't elaborate, but the search has been frustrating. It's been months, though; is this truly a bottle I MUST replace? Let's re-examine it. My memory suggests this surpasses the 15 and 18-year bottles I've acquired in hopes of matching this one. Nose: Sweet candy, rich dark caramel, and a touch of salt. Oh, this is excellent. The alcohol and something akin to pie filling come through. Taste: Salty caramel and vanilla. It's like savoring dessert. This is a complete dessert whisky, a bomb of caramel, vanilla, and salt, hitting every desired note. A true dessert scotch. Bottled in 2013, these have become difficult to obtain, and I'm incredibly annoyed with Ohio... where I'm told two stores have bottles... they just can't locate them to sell them to me. Regardless, this is undoubtedly my favorite Caol Ila I've experienced.

This was the second whisky I ever tried (the first being a Glenlivet 12). I don't think I truly appreciated Islay flavors and complexity back then. I recall the briny, pine needle taste and the scent of the sea on the nose. At the time, I detested it... and ended up giving this bottle away, unable to tolerate the taste any longer. Now, two years later, and after thoroughly enjoying Talisker, Bowmore, and other Islays and Islands, I probably wouldn't have given it away.