Halcyon Spirits is sticking to its plan of releasing its whiskies drop by drop. Each few months one cask (solely 4 up to now 12 months), which is totally different from what most bottlers are doing.
I’m undecided what to make of this schedule. Till now the whiskies have been very outdated and costly, however the newest launch is a Caol Ila 2007 which appears a bit underwhelming as a standalone launch.
Caol Ila 17 yo 2007 (56%, Halcyon Spirits 2024, cask #306807, 273 btl.)
Nostril: antiseptics up entrance, with peppermint and uncooked wool. Then seawater, oysters and hints of heather honey. Rising floral notes too, coming near recent laundry. Completely Islay, I’d say, with a pleasing maritime sharpness. Lemons and lightweight vanilla within the background, in addition to some baking spice and leather-based.
Mouth: this sharper profile returns, on ginger and white pepper, lemon juice and large ashy notes. Drops of seawater, mercurochrome and chalk. This jogs my memory of Port Ellen at instances. Then bread dough and aniseed. Very gentle sweetness beneath, however the saltiness and savoury facet is way larger. Inexperienced walnuts and mint in direction of the tip.
End: fairly lengthy, nonetheless very coastal and somewhat peppery. Some drying leafy notes within the very finish, together with a touch of espresso beans.
A really pure and pretty vertical Caol Ila. Actually not underwhelming for this distillery and this age – quite the opposite. Clearly sharp and tense, however excessive class. Now out there from Halcyon Spirits.
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