In June 2024 The Whisky Exchange presented a new series named The Seasons. We tried the Summer release and thought it was a rather spot-on selection with good value for money.
Now there’s a new installment, The Seasons: Autumn. This time it includes Dailuaine, Ledaig and Caol Ila. Flavours should turn to baked apple, pumpkin pie and bonfire smoke… You can buy a full collector’s set or each whisky individually.
Dailuaine 12 yo 2011 (52,1%, The Whisky Exchange ‘Seasons – Autumn’ 2023, rejuvenated hogshead #316960)
Nose: mild fruity notes (peach and stewed Golden Delicious), but also fallen leaves and hints of ginger and nutmeg, which immediately make it more autumnal. Then hints of porridge, with marmalade and acacia honey. A nice combination of sweetness and spice.
Mouth: the same richness, thanks to stewed orchard fruits (pears and apples) and some creamy, buttery vanilla and oak spice. Nutmeg, black pepper and ginger. Then apple pie, toasted almonds and hints of liquorice. Gaining some sharpness towards the end, with orange peels and and drying nuts.
Finish: medium, with herbal honey, earthy spice, apple peelings and more of this black pepper.
A fine young Dailuaine and a good transition whisky, building a bridge between late summer fruits and mild spice. Apparently a little later than the others, but available soon from The Whisky Exchange.
Ledaig 17 yo 2006 (55,4%, The Whisky Exchange ‘Seasons – Autumn’ 2023, butt #16)
Nose: slightly farmy peat, with prunes and blackberries, along with treacle and coal smoke. Light tarry notes. Then back to raisins, herbal honey and singed orange peels, along with damp wood and hints of tobacco leaves. Smoked meat in the background.
Mouth: powerful and dark, with lots of sooty notes, black peppercorns and smoked meat. Hints of caramelized apple and chocolate, as well as some coffee. A little creosote and burnt rubber. Then a charred side, a pinch of sea salt and baked plum comes out.
Finish: long, on lacquered barbecue meats, seaweed, plums and colf coffee.
A really good Ledaig that reminds me of the Whisky Show 2022 bottling. A rich mixture of coal smoke with thick sweetness and a rugged meatiness. Perfect for a cold autumn evening, after a walk in the forest. Available from The Whisky Exchange. Score: 88/100
Caol Ila 9 yo 2014 (52,1%, The Whisky Exchange ‘Seasons – Autumn’ 2023, first fill bourbon barrel #808)
Nose: classic mercurochrome and sea spray with pebblestones on the beach. Red apple, chalk, oysters and salted peanuts, as well as raw wool. On the other hand there’s vanilla and almond from the active bourbon wood. Cleaner than the colour suggested.
Mouth: the sweet woody notes and apple juice make it rounder, but there’s no shortage of brine, lanolin, medicinal smoke and pepper either. Later also cinnamon, lemon and plenty of ashes. Caol Ila for those with a sweet tooth, without renouncing any distillery character.
Finish: long, still juicy enough, despite the drying edge.
Very rich and well chosen again. Caol Ila takes a slightly heavier wood influence well. It makes the peat come nicely, replacing some of the minerality with sweetness. Available from The Whisky Exchange. Score: 86/100