Tasting Notes

Producing WhiskyCast has given me the opportunity to taste some really amazing whiskies, and I’m pleased to share my tasting notes with you here. You can search my entire database of tasting notes from this page, and I hope you’ll find it useful.

Cadenhead’s Caol Ila 15 Bourbon Cask

Cadenhead's Caol Ila 15 Bourbon Cask. Image courtesy William Cadenhead Limited.

Country: Scotland

Region: Islay

Type: Single Malt

Bottler: William Cadenhead Limited

ABV: 54.6%

Score: 93 Points

This single cask bottling was highlighted during the Cadenhead’s virtual warehouse tasting during the online version of the 2021 Campbeltown Malts Festival, and spent its entire 15 years in a single ex-Bourbon hogshead cask. The nose has a subtle peatiness and hints of spice along with touches of caramel candy, honey, vanilla, dried flowers, and a hint of brine. The taste is smoky and woody with hints of vanilla, caramel, honey, dried flowers, and a nice touch of butterscotch. The finish is long and smoky with a nice bite of spice. Excellent! (July, 2021)

Special thanks to Matt Lurin and the Water of Life Festival for making this sample available.