Caol Ila Distillers Edition

Score: 63

This is a great example of what cask finishing can do to a whisky, even an Islay scotch. There are the flavor elements of the 12 year offering if you can remember it, yet the sweetness from the Moscatel sherry cask provides a sort of glaze over the top of it, the addition of a delightful creaminess to accompany the smoke and peat and spice, dialed back a bit though they are. Maybe the finish serves to blend the individual elements into an elevated whole, where the parts are hard to identify on their own. But that’s more than okay. While the standard 12 might be best placed sipping by the campfire on a beach, the Distillers Edition is something to be shared over a relaxed after-dinner conversation with good friend.