What Makes the Spencer Collings Caol Ila 12 Yr Previous Distinctive in Its Maturation?
It’s not usually you see a custom-produced barrel used for a single cask bottling. However provided that this launch marks the fiftieth anniversary of Mike Collings, it makes excellent sense to make use of a specifically made cask crafted from each American and French oak. The mixture of those two woods, working collectively somewhat than by means of separate maturations, creates a really distinctive taste profile.
American oak brings these traditional notes of vanilla, caramel, toffee, and the occasional trace of tropical fruit. French oak is a little more intense—nonetheless fruity, however leaning extra towards peach. It additionally provides dominant flavors of ginger, lemon, and extra herbaceous components like licorice and inexperienced herbs. Layer that complexity onto the character of Caol Ila, and also you get an exceptionally distinctive instance of an Islay single cask single malt. Add to that the truth that it’s an anniversary bottling, and the enchantment turns into even stronger for the whisky lover in you.
The Greatest Methods to Get pleasure from It
As with all whisky, your first pour ought to at all times be neat—simply to listen to what the whisky is making an attempt to say. That is how the group on the distillery meant it to be skilled, so it’s price taking the time to attempt it in its purest kind.
Nonetheless, since this whisky is offered at cask power, including a couple of drops of water after the primary sip is at all times worthwhile. Water can unlock totally different layers of taste, revealing new sides of the whisky’s character. It’s a good way to discover the bottle in better depth and uncover the total vary of its complexity.
Why the Spencer Collings Caol Ila 12 Yr Previous Is a Good Purchase
Independently bottled Caol Ila has lengthy been a good way to expertise the distillery’s type. These releases usually come at greater proof, function extra attention-grabbing cask selections, and are typically priced with out inflicting critical harm to your pockets.
This specific bottling not solely celebrates a milestone anniversary, but it surely has additionally obtained notably excessive scores, making it a superb buy heading into 2025.
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