Product Description
Taking its name from the Gaelic for ‘dawn’, Moch is a wonderful newcomer from Caol Ila and is a must-try for fans of this outstanding distillery. Lighter in style than the standard 12yo expression, Moch is a fantastic easy-drinking dram.
Caol Ila Moch is the first single malt from the distillery to be selected entirely on the basis of its taste, rather than age, cask wood, strength or finish.
The nose is creamy and lemony, before a silky-smooth medium-bodied palate that still packs a peaty punch. The finish is dry, sooty and very more-ish.
Moch was available initially only to the Friends of the Classic Malts exclusively from The Whisky Exchange. We think it's the best FOCM release in years and a very exciting addition to the Caol Ila family.
Style
Style
- Body2
- Richness2
- Smoke3
- Sweetness3
Character
Character
- Lemon
- Pineapple
- White Pepper
- Grass
- Toast
- Smoke
Food Pairing
Food Pairing
Our wine expert, head buyer and experienced sommelier Dawn Davies MW, recommends Caol Ila Moch to bring out the best in these dishes.
- Blue Cheese
- Oysters
- Chorizo
Product Facts
Product Facts
Bottler
Distillery Bottling
Country
Scotland
Region
Islay
Colouring
Yes
Caol Ila Moch
70cl / 43%
In stock online
£67.25
Web Exclusive Price
£56.04 ex VAT
(£96.07 per litre)
You must be aged 18 or above to buy alcohol in the UK
Delivery
Delivery
Express delivery(Choose a day)
From £6.95
Standard delivery (2-4 Working Days)
From £4.95
Click & Collect (Mon-Fri 10am - 5pm)
Free
How We Pack
Eco-friendly packaging
Our boxes are made of 100% recyclable cardboard and our protective honeycomb paper wrap keeps your package safe and significantly reduces our need for plastic.
Flexible delivery options
We deliver to countries all over the world! You can also select express delivery, or pick a specific delivery date, at checkout.
Packed with care
Our experienced warehouse team take great care with every order. As specialists in glass packaging they ensure that your items stay safe and secure in transit.
Returns
30-Day returns policy
We want you to be 100% happy with your order and it is our aim to ensure that all products supplied to all customers arrive in perfect condition. You have the right to cancel your order at any time without being charged for the goods ordered within 30 days of purchasing (other than for perishable or personalised products or those products that have been specified as non-returnable).
Drink Responsibly
The misuse of alcohol can lead to immense harm and we want to make sure that the great drinks we stock are enjoyed responsibly as part of a healthy lifestyle. Learn more about responsible drinking.
Disclaimer
While we endeavour to provide full and accurate information on our website, there may be occasions where producers have updated their recipe or failed to provide full details of their ingredients and processes. This may affect factors including the product style and allergen information, and we would advise that you always check the label and not solely rely on the information presented here. If you are at all uncertain about a product then please contact our customer service team before purchase.
Tasting Notes
Tasting Notes
Tasting Notes by Rocky
Nose
Salty and briny with vanilla ice cream, lemon sherbet, pineapple, white pepper and a hint of smoke.
Palate
A creamy texture with buttery and toffeed notes added to the salinity and vanilla that were present on the nose.
Finish
The toffee and vanilla continue right through to the end, with a medium to long length, which is excellent for an ‘entry level’ whisky.
Comment
An excellent introduction into peated Islay whiskies.
Tasting Notes by Tim F
Nose
Textbook Caol Ila lemon zest, but creamier & less assertive than I remember the 12yo. A few youngish notes that disperse quickly. Honey and cream soda. Some grassy notes & fresh hay. A biscuity note. Faint smoke, but nothing scary. In short: Lemon meringue pie. Not mind-blowingly complex, but that’s not what we’re looking for here, and it’s certainly very pleasant and inviting. This reminds me a lot of a younger, toned-down version of Port Askaig 17yo. For some reason.
Palate
Medium-bodied. Slides across the tongue like an oilslick (the good kind of oilslick, I mean). And then the peat hits. Smoky phenols from out of nowhere. This is much better now, with a hot-buttered-toasty soot and woodsmoke character. These phenols take root on the palate, which seems drying, yet somehow retains the soft, silky mouthfeel and the creamy lemon sherbertiness even in the midst of the bonfire. A very clever trick. A lesson in balance – not rough enough to be too challenging, but certainly retaining plenty of oomph and youthful vigour to be refreshing and very more-ish.
Finish
The smoke and soot linger, and the overall finish is longer than expected for a young whisky. A dryness at the death demands the glass be refilled.
Comment
A hugely enjoyable romp through Islay’s middle ground. Moch is the whisky that Ardbeg Blasda should have been. Where Blasda fell down was in sacrificing both strength and peatiness – Moch, at 43%, is a sensible strength for a whisky of this comparative youth, and is certainly softer and more approachable than the 12yo, without ever becoming too beige and boring.
Most importantly, they’ve kept the smoky bite that a young Islay whisky needs (and the nerds demand), as well as the balancing honeyed sweetness that makes this a genuinely pleasurable drinking whisky.
Producer's Tasting Notes
Appearance
Pale gold. Good viscosity.
Nose
Unreduced, clean and fresh like wet, salty sand after the tide has receded. Some smoke behind, as from an old bonfire. Adding a little water brings up more freshness.
Palate
Unreduced, sweet and salty with a balancing acidity, and fresh as a sea breeze. The trademark clean and smoky character of Caol Ila is here. Appetising. Adding water gives a smoother, softer, sweeter feel, still very maritime, with a nice texture. Sweetly drying overall.
Medium bodied, elegant and smooth.
Finish
Quite short, drying and warming with a little bitterness. Lingering smoky aftertaste.
Summary
An absolutely straightforward, no nonsense Caol Ila. Crisp, assertive, direct, and unmistakeable.
Tasting notes by CaskStrength
Nose
First whiff and i'm right back on that beach, with my mates, sunset slowly emerging. It has the exact same foam banana sweets note that the Askaig has. Give it a swirl and orange and lemon fruit jellies start to appear, the merest hint of coal dust, some floral perfume (honeysuckle) and butterscotch covered popcorn. An absolute delight.
Palate
Slightly gritty at first, then straight into toffee mint humbugs, fruit sherbet and a wave of really delicate soft peat, which acts as a blanket on the tongue, as the fruity zestiness dances all over it. The next sip does the same, then the next and the next. It's consistent and totally moreish.
Finish
The peat subsides and leaves a lingering ashy note, but the only thing you can think about is having a drop more.
Overall
Let me make this clear. This is a perfect whisky for sitting round with your pals, getting a takeaway, listening to the new Arcade Fire record or, if you're anything like us, just remembering a few enjoyable, slightly misspent times on an island which has left an indelible mark on all of us. Grab, open, pour, enjoy, re-pour, enjoy some more. Easy.
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Customer Reviews
(11 Reviews)
A fantastic introduction to Islay whisky and the Caol Ila distillery. Mildly peated, smooth and easy to drink.
Well, it is simple..young but balanced..smoke is there but you have to search for it a bit...sweet lemon for sure but quickky dies off to leave a nice mild mannered finish of bacon .....nice dram but not a contender with the others from the Isle...
I bought this with excitement, then I checked on the reviews on here which aren't really stellar and that slowed down my hype. I opened it yesterday and to my mind its similar to the Laphroaig Select with a little bit more punchiness to it since it is 43%. Very drinkable, the exact amount of peat and the exact amount of richness beyond the peat that you would expect at this price point. I sensed even a little bit of a meaty tone to it which I loved. Overall, would recommend especially if you can get it for a lower price as the competition price wise with Ardbeg is hard to not notice.
I have bought the Caol Ila Moch for my best friend. Caol Ila is my favourite drop. For some reason the Moch has changed and now has the flavour of the cheapest of whiskies. It burns and makes you angry where’s before it was sweetest of nectars. It once was a dark and smoky deliciousness and now can only be used to clean the dirtiest of paint brushes. An absolute tragedy.
Nice...
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