Caol Ila 8 The Whisky Gallery

Review by: Raygun

The Whisky Gallery is a Hong Kong bottler. This appears to be a full-term wine maturation, with a cask from Chateau Lafite Rothschild. Don’t know what a bottle of that goes for exactly, but suffice it to say far more than I’d ever pay for a bottle of wine.

Distillery: Caol Ila

Bottler: The Whisky Gallery

Region/style: Islay single malt Scotch

ABV: 57.3%. Cask strength

Age: 8 years. Distilled in 2012. Bottled in 2020.

Cask type: Chateau Lafite Rothschild Bordeaux cask

Price: About $12 for the pour

Nose: Strongly peaty and there’s some Caol Ila beach sand and a bit of swimming pool. Blackberries, plums, and forest.

Palate: Wine influence is much stronger here. Blackberry cobbler, plums, creme brulee. Some cherry as well. Peat isn’t as strong, but brings a nice savory and smoky flavor. Very good mouthfeel.

Finish: Barbecued pork. Blackberries and cherry ice cream. Damp forest. Little bit of mineral brings something nice.

Conclusion: Another solid Caol Ila. Not spectacular, and they never seem to be for me. My favorite was an unpeated release, which proves something or other. Likely as close to drinking Lafite Rothschild as I’ll ever get. Was curious whether a crazy expensive wine makes a better cask for aging Scotch. Based on this, I’d say no. I highly doubt I could tell the difference from any other red wine cask, never mind a Bordeaux cask.

Buy a bottle? It’s nice enough, but I’m unlikely to see it.

Final Score: 77

Scoring Legend:

  • 95-100: As good as it gets. Jaw-dropping, eye-widening, unforgettable whisky. (Convalmore 36)
  • 90-94: Sublime, a personal favorite in its category. (Bruichladdich Black Art 4.1)
  • 85-89: Excellent, a standout dram. (Ledaig 13 Amontillado)
  • 80-84: Quite good. Quality stuff. (Tomatin 18)
  • 75-79: Decent whisky worth tasting. (Glen Scotia 15)
  • 70-74: Meh. It’s definitely drinkable, but it can do better. (Aultmore 12)
  • 60-69: Not so good. I might not turn down a glass if I needed a drink. (Glenmorangie 10)
  • 50-59: Save it for mixing. (Old Pulteney 12)
  • 0-49: Blech. (Muirhead’s Silver Seal 16)

Published by Raygun

Unknown's avatar

I drank Scotch occasionally (mostly at family gatherings) for years, but started getting more interested after an introduction and tasting from a Scottish acquaintance. That led to buying my first bottle (Highland Park 12). Now 600+ spirits later, Scotch is still my first love, but I drink other whisky and dabble in brandy as well.

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