Here is the third in our series of festively finished whiskies and our guide of where to find them in Bristol.
For the Wine Wallowers…
Location: The Woods Bar, Park Street
Vibe: Known for the incredibly antisocial, yet very convenient opening hours, The Woods Bar is a place to finish the night off properly. They have a huge range of spirits, with an extensive whisky collection made up of drams from all over the world. You can enjoy this all in the comfort of the upstairs snug, the open bar area or, if you are feeling brave enough to take on the seasonal weather, the outside decking space.
Dram: Caol Ila 2002 (bottled 2014) Moscatel Cask Finish – Distillers Edition
ABV: 43%
Price: £7.80 for 25ml
Aroma: Rich, yet slight charcoal notes that swirl with salty sea air, rich boozy raisins and TCP notes.
Taste: Initially this dram is salty, with subtle peat smoke and sweet, rich raisins.
As you reach the middle of the palate, the smoke widens, filling the palate. However this isn’t the punchy acrid smoke of other ISlay whiskies, its always becalmed by sweetness and fruit. This means there is space to experience other flavour points, like crispy bacon.
The final notes are a continuing, long lingering marriage of the smoke of the middle and sweet, musty raisins. As the dram dies away there is again sweetness from the wine finish.
Review: The Woods Bar has such a huge collection of whisky that it often takes me about ten minutes to choose what I want, but for the indecisive amongst you they have knowledgeable, friendly staff on hand to guide and support your choices, as they did with this dram.
Lighting fires, huddling for warmth and where possible being by the seaside, is a Christmas must. So if like us, you find yourself trapped in the metropole of Bristol this Christmas, then why not take a Christmas island vacation in liquid form instead?