From The Sample Room Sweet & Smoky The Cooper’s Choice (The Vintage Malt Whisky Co Ltd.)

From The Sample Room Sweet & Smoky The Cooper's Choice (The Vintage Malt Whisky Co Ltd.) is a blended malt Scotch from The Vintage Malt Whisky Co Ltd. It brings together malts from more than one distillery, Caol Ila lending the peat. The six tall stills sit behind picture windows looking out to Jura.

The Caol Ila within lends a clean, lemony Islay smoke rather than a heavy tarry one. An Oloroso hogshead lent raisin, fig and a savoury edge. Olive oil and lemon sit at the heart of the Caol Ila character. Long ageing turns the young, sharp peat into a soft, coastal smoke. The cool Islay air gives a slow, steady maturation by the shore. Active wood frames the smoke without smothering the citrus beneath. Long fermentations build the fruity, citrus notes that sit beneath the smoke. Much of the spirit leaves the island by sea to mature on the mainland.

Reduced to 44.1%, it is mellow. A coastal peat smoke runs through it, with lemon, brine and a soft oil over a sweet fruit. An oily smoke coats the palate, citrus and brine behind. The finish runs oily, smoky and clean. A characterful smoky blended malt Scotch.