Valinch & Mallet – Caol Ila 15 yo

Valinch&Mallet is an independent bottler created by two Italian guys. They hand select only Single Cask that reflect their personal tastes rather than perfection. Their philosophy is quite interesting : ” Selecting single casks is not a science but a matter of taste, an art “. All their single casks are un-chill filtered, with no colour added, and hand-picked by the founders.

This particular expression is a 15 yo from Caol Ila, aged in Sherry Hogshead. It was initially part of 4 sister casks, ranging from 14yo to 17. As the years passed, the 16 and 17yo were abandoned as they did not held to the standards of V&M.

Color : young Bourbon.

Nose : big dirty peat, very wet, beach fire, light sea salt and fish on the BBQ.

Palate : much more subtle than I expected. Yes, peat is present, but this time rather fresh and accompanied by thick smoke. We keep the flavours associated with the sea and the fish, but we accompany them with an entry of Dundee Marmelade on biscottines. Everything is light while keeping a certain fat and round composition.

Final : very very slow with a strong return of peat and drying smoke toward the end of the esophagus.

Comments : still the classic presentation so classy from V & M ! We feel a family spirit with his little brother, but there are major differences : the roles are reversed, with peat in the foreground and sherry in the background. We have here a very interesting evolution of flavours, especially regarding the intensity. If the 14 years is in the image of Rome in all its splendor / decadence, the 15 yo rather resembles the Greek philosophers and the evolution in their speech.