Chaos batch #1 50% ABV North Star Spirits

Batch #1 2020 Released mid 2020. Islay Single malt scotch whisky. 1200 Bottles were available worldwide. Matured in both Spanish and American oak casks. 2 PX Hogsheads (Caol ila) 2010 + 1 Refill Hogshead (Caol ila) 2009. Blended together and taken down to 50% ABV.

Appearance

Lemony mid ish gold in colour for me, medium thick swirl line that beads up and drops slow medium thick legs. #thewhiskeychaps

Nose

Even knowing this is Caol ila I’m finding it quite foresty with a peat fuelled fire quite close, slightly botanical, mineral water, yes petrichor, and fragrant wood atm. #thewhiskeychaps

Distant smoke and ash. Some BBQ meat sweetness, blueberries honey and vanilla

#thewhiskeychaps pic.twitter.com/gGnvXQmotO

— Whisk(e)y Chap 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿🥃🇺🇦 (@whiskeychap) March 24, 2022

Palate

Nice mouthfeel, and straight away there’s a lovely sweetness, mango and passion fruit mixed with sweet lemon, then the peat smoke, it’s certainly not face slapping and it’s nice to be able to taste around the peat tbh. #thewhiskeychaps

After it’s been on the palate for a minute the salinity really comes forward, and the whole thing is becoming cask char, dark chocolate, cigar leaves, quite the chameleon tbh. #thewhiskeychaps

Finish

Long side of medium in length, and the spices do hang around, and the bitterness quietly sits there. Cigar leaves, dunnage, petrichor, seared pineapple, there’s also a faint perfume in there too. #thewhiskeychaps

Yes definitely is mate. #thewhiskeychaps

— Dram it Mick! 🇺🇦 (@StillSurreal) March 24, 2022

My thoughts

I have to say i’m a little conflicted with this dram. We tasted batches 1,2, and 3 vertically, and as you’ll see in my tasting notes i liked the palate, at this point, and it develops very nicely. But, as we went through all three batches it became apparent that this was my least favourite of the three. As i release my reviews you will see what i mean, and on reflection it is quite Caol Ila “house style” if you know what i mean, a decent enough dram, and if you love Caol ila you would most likely really enjoy it, but there is better to come in my humble opinion.