Caol Ila Cask Strength JW Mentoring

Some years back, Diageo organized a special event, "The Johnnie Walker Mentoring," a sort of intensive masterclass where rare releases were provided to attendees. As you might expect, these special bottlings were never sold commercially, making them true rarities. This is the Caol Ila Cask Strength release for the JW mentoring, not available for purchase, but I acquired it through an auction. It's bottled at 55% ABV. The nose presents all the intense peaty notes we appreciate: a pair of new cotton socks, firewood, antiseptic, hospital gauze and tape, and band-aids. After a few sips, the aroma shifts to plowed earth, ashes, and a fish market. It evokes the atmosphere of a 90s disco where smoking indoors was still permitted. The palate is somewhat simple and direct. Sweet, very sugary, with lemon and gooseberries. The finish is dominated by smoke, so dense it feels tangible. Salty. Overall, considering its rarity and cask strength nature, it's not exceptionally exciting. It's a decent dram, though pricey on the resale market. It's essentially a standard Caol Ila, just a bit stronger. My score is 89 out of 100.