This Caol Ila was actually the last sample in the recent TweetTasting but you know when you get started going back over it you can’t help but returning to the interesting one in the bunch.

For a recap on the Pintail whisky story you can go back and look at the other one we looked at here: Pintail – Glenlossie 14Yo – Picolit wine finish.

For reference though each of these bottles can be picked up at the following retails but being single casks you will want to be quick.

• Aberdeen Whisky Shop
• Master of Malt
• Whisky Castle
• Top Whiskies
• Cork & Cask
• Spirit of Alba
• Lockett Bros

Yet again this collection of Pintail whiskies is showing up my lack of wine. Pineau des Charentes is a fortified wine made from 2 parts barely fermented grapes and one part Cognac in the Charentes region of Western France.

In a story Terry Pratchett would label TGTC (Too Good To Check) Pineau des Charentes is said to have been created by mistake in 1589 when a farmer pour grape must into a barrel he though empty but was one third full of eaux-de-vie.

For this single cask release a refill sherry butt was emptied and refilled into an ex-Pineau des Charentes barrel for 6 months.

Tasting Notes

Colour – Brassy Gold

Nose – Smouldering beach bonfires, salty sea breezes, citrus peel and Bourbon biscounts

Palate – Salt brine, honeyed apricots, ginerbread, BBQ pineapple, smoke grist and dark toffee

Finish – Long and lingering asky smoke with brown sugar and stewed pears

official tasting notes

Colour – gold

Nose – predominately this is Caol Ila spirit but the backend has this rich syrupy jammy thick fruit note

Palate – vibrant and exciting mixing sea air, prickly heat and campfires

Finish – dry ashy and dying embers.

Final Thoughts

Really cool whisky which is a new experience for me. Distinctively Caol Ila but also distinctively different. The kind of whisky to gift to someone who you struggle to find anything which makes them go “oh”