Showing posts with label Caol Ila Moch. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Caol Ila Moch. Show all posts

Caol Ila Moch Review


“Only Mild Smoke Gets In Your Eyes”

Country: Scotland 
Region: Islay
Brand: Caol Ila Moch
Type: Single Malt Whisky
Age: NAS
ABV: 43%

Colour: Light Gold 

Nose: Light but Pleasant. The Smoke and Coastal Peat are there but they do not dominate but support the other Aromas such as Sweet Barley, Toast, Burnt Straw, light Tar, Soot, light Rubber, light Iodine, Sea Water, Vanilla, Herbs, Toffee, Lemon-Grass, Ginger Bread, Honey and traces of Pineapple Jam, Cured Meat and Wet Stone. The Alcohol is not yet fully integrated. 

Palate: Light and mostly Sweet with well-integrated Peat and Wood Smoke. I also find Tar, Soot, Rubber, Burnt Toast, Malt, Wet Grass, Sea Water, Lemon, Green Apples, Pineapple, Honey, Vanilla, Herbs, Pepper, Menthol, Licorice and Aniseed.

Finish: Light but with good Length. Sweet at first but Dry and slightly Soapy towards the end. I find subdued Peat, light Smoke, Soot, Ashes, Malt, Vanilla, Lemon, slightly Bitter Grapefruit, light Oak, Pepper, light Menthol, light Aniseed, light Licorice and traces of Fish or Shell Fish.       

I added a bit of Water and on the Nose I unexpectedly found Pencil Shavings. On the Palate you will get some extra Fruit but the Finish becomes too Thin. Still, you can carefully add a couple of drops at a time and see what happens.

Rating: 82

Nose: 20.5 - Taste: 20.5 – Finish: 20.5 – Overall: 20.5


General Remarks: The Caol Ila Moch (Dawn) was launched in 2011. Initially it was only available in a number of West-European countries to the Friends of the Classic Malts. It's the first Caol Ila that was selected on the basis of Taste alone, without considering Age, Cask, Wood and ABV. The Malts used in the Moch are most probably between 5 and 10 years old and matured in Ex-Bourbon casks. The Moch is usually sold at prices in the range of 55 to 70 US Dollars (09/2015).

Caol Ila (Gaelic for Sound of Islay or Islay Strait) is located on the Strait that separates Islay and Jura. The Distillery was founded in 1846 by one Hector Henderson. After changing hands many times, the Distillery now belongs to the Diageo Group. Caol Ila supplies lots of Malt Whisky to known Blends like Johnnie Walker and Black Bottle but also produces many great Single Malts.

Drinking Experience Neat: Good 

Conclusion: The standard 12 Years Caol Ila is a solid way to start tasting Islay Malts as it represents all that Islay has to offer but in a soft and subdued way. In fact a bit too subdued for my personal taste. And, in my opinion, the Moch smells and tastes even Lighter and Younger than the 12 Years. Since the price difference is not very significant, my advise would be to stick with the 12 Years. Still, both of them are good places to start your Islay adventure. Hard core Peat Heads and Smoke Adepts however will probably look elsewhere on this beautiful Island for their Malt pleasure as the Moch is on the very Light Side of the Islay spectrum.

Jan van den Ende                                                            September 28, 2015