A taste of Islay’s bracing sea air.
Unreduced, sweet-spicy, fresh sea-air notes. Hints of preserved fruit, perhaps. Adding a little water brings up subtle, fragrant polished wood.
Unreduced, sweet-spicy, fresh sea-air notes. Hints of preserved fruit, perhaps. Adding a little water brings up subtle, fragrant polished wood.
Medium viscosity.
Unreduced, immediately sweet and fruity with a balancing bitterness. As befits its age, Caol Ila’s trademark smoky-medicinal character is controlled rather than exuberant. A good mouthfeel complemented by a complex flavour.
Quite long, sweetly drying, with more smoke coming through. Pleasant aftertaste.
Unreduced, immediately sweet and fruity with a balancing bitterness. As befits its age, Caol Ila’s trademark smoky-medicinal character is controlled rather than exuberant. Good mouthfeel. Complex flavour. The fine balance of primary tastes persists: warming, smoky and long lasting, it drinks very well straight. Adding water gives a sweeter start, then a light smokiness elegantly envelops the palate. Sweetly drying overall. Medium bodied, elegant and smooth.
One for the long evenings. A well-balanced, contemplative old Caol Ila; the bonfire still burns, its intensity dimmed by age.
2007
2005
2000
2011
"There's soft pear and guava on the nose, and the trademark oiliness and distinctive peat are there, but there's a buttery quality, too, as well as some brine and spice, apple pip, and traces of aniseed. You get a sense of its age late on, with some oaky tannins and sharper spice, but overall this is an unhurried, complex, and sweet whisky with just enough peat to keep it honest. Very impressive."
Dominic Roskrow, Malt Advocate Fall 2010, p.73
"Wonderful wax jacket, oily, fruity. Tin peaches, dried apricots, ripe blackberries, rhubarb crumble, nice vanilla notes. Lingers beautifully indeed."
Sukhinder Singh 2011, Whisky Magazine, Issue 95, p.103
"A rounded and mature affair. The 25 years in oak has made it a bit more refined (and drier on the palate) compared to younger expressions. All the classic Caol Ila notes are stillthere-mustard, seaweed, olives, damp peat, salt and pepper. A touch of vanilla wafer, anise, smoked almonds, and tarry rope add complexity."
John Hansell, Whisky Advocate Winter 2005