Firkin Islay: Caol Ila 2010 Whisky in Custom Marsala Cask
Key Facts About This Single Malt Scotch
Bottler: The Firkin Whisky Company
Whisky Maker: Mike Collings
Distillery: Caol Ila
Age: 2010 Vintage
Region: Islay, Scotland
Spirit: Single cask, single malt scotch
Cask Type: Double wood, ex-marsala
Alcohol by Volume: 48.9%
Bottled: Natural colour and without chill filtration
Outturn: 325 Bottles
Bottle Size: 700ml
Awards: Gold medal, Whiskies Of The World Awards; Gold Medal, USA Spirits Ratings.
Firkin Islay Tasting Notes
Official tasting notes
Kapow! Smoke! Call the Fire Brigade! A waft of peat and smoke.
You only need to dig a bit for the malt and creamy oak which holds it together. This whisky has everything: big burning embers, smoky bonfire and a tad of mellowed sweetish oak. It's a peppery and lively spirit.
So chewy, so smoky, so Firkin Islay.
Ed's review
Colour: Natural, amber. Oily, coats my glass.
Nose: Paprika rubbed pork ribs on the bbq, with the rendered fat hitting the coals and turning into smoke. Malt loaf with homemade butter. A sweetness in the form of forest berry compote over natural Greek yoghurt.
Palate: Medium mouthfeel. Smokiness like burnt brisket ends - bold but not brash. Another touch of sweetness, this time like wild honey. That coastal minerality I often find in Coal Ila, briny pebbles on the beach. A visit to the spice cupboard - dried lemon, ginger, paprika, black pepper. Well-integrated alcohol (48.9%) adds body without any burn.
Finish: Medium to long. Honey, smoke and spice. Warm, and ready for another sip.
About Firkin Islay Caol Ila 2010 Whisky
This is the story of two islands, Islay and Sicily, and how they produced an award-winning whisky.
Firkin Islay combines the peaty smokiness of Caol Ila 2010 with the Muscat grape sweetness of Marsala. The flavours fuse together in Firkin Whisky Co's custom double wood cask. Their unique process mellows and softens the peat. Firkin Islay is a new take on a classic Islay whisky.
Salty peat and smoke with a touch of sweetness. Firkin Islay Coal Ila won a gold medal in the Whiskies of the World awards in the peated whiskies category. But that doesn’t come as a massive surprise to us, as this is a superb single cask release from Firkin Whisky Company.
Read more about Firkin Islay in our blog here, and more about Firkin Whisky's approach here.
Where can you ship?
We're based in the UK, but we can ship to many countries.
We deliver to Australia, Canada (Alberta), China, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Greece, Guernsey, Hong Kong, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Jersey, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macao, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Philippines, Singapore, South Africa, South Korea, Taiwan, UK, US (certain states*), and Vietnam.
*We can ship to the following US states duty-paid (so no further taxes for you): Alaska, California, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Louisiana,Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Nebraska, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Texas, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, Wyoming.
How much is shipping?
Shipping charges are calculated during checkout, depending on where you live and how many bottles you’re buying. Shipping within the UK is free on orders over £100.
What about taxes?
All alcoholic products sold by TopWhiskies are sold subject to UK alcohol tax, which is already included in the price.
UK sales are subject to VAT (currently 20%), which is included in the price. Sales outside of the UK are not subject to this tax, and international prices do not include it.
We use a specialist US shipper who sorts out US taxes. These costs are factored into the US shipping charges. So shipping may look pricey, but remember it covers your taxes as well.
For all other territories, including those in Europe, please note: your order could be subject to local sales taxes and duties upon arrival in the destination country. All additional charges are the responsibility of the recipient. As customs policies vary widely from country to country, TopWhiskies has no control over these charges, so you should contact your local customs office for further information. If you refuse to pay any import duties and taxes, this could result in the goods being destroyed by customs or being returned back to us - any refund offered would include a deduction of our costs.
Which couriers do you use?
In the UK we use Royal Mail, Parcelforce and APC. US orders are sent via UPS. International orders use FedEx and DHL.
Need help?
For help, or custom orders, please contact Ed on email ed@topwhiskies.com
Quality products, independent brands
All the brands I work with are independent. Many of them are small brands, run by one or two people with a whole load of passion. As a result, these unique products are top quality.
Personal support
Need help? Write to me at ed@topwhiskies.com. It's always me at the end of the email, and I'm always glad to help.
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With happy whisky-loving customers all around the world, we're rated five stars for our service.
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Meet the Founder
Mike Collings