An Islay classic that we will never get enough of. Caol Ila 12 year old is the entry-level bottling from the Caol Ila distillery, launched in June of 2002. Caol Ila is the largest of the Islay distilleries by output and so it’s a favourite of brands, independent bottlers, and blends like Johnnie Walker.
Caol Ila 12 Year Old appeals to connoisseurs while also making the perfect entry to the world of peated whisky for newcomers, with its beautifully measured and mellow smokiness and a rich array of seaside flavours. It’s a serial award-winner that works great in cocktails (we recommend a smoky Highball), as well as being a good whisky to pair with salty and savoury foods.
Fresh, herbal. Rubbed peppermint leaves, stemmy, damp grass, smoky. Oily, cigar leaves, smoked ham, hickory. Lemon peels at the harbour.
Good body, oily, tar, elegant smoke. Hints of boiled sweets.
Long, peppery, spicy warmth, smoke.
Smell is nice and smokey,unripe citrus, antiseptic, green apples, grapes, touch of toffee and a little floral note. With water, woods open up, more peaty, licorice, salty, briny, sweeter, vanilla, Bit more lovely. Taste is peppery, smokey, hot, burnt my palate with out a little water. With water, sweeter, oak notes, grapes a plenty, licorice, toffee, vanilla again, red apples, pepper, resins, quite complex. After taste, peppery, aromatic pines, smoke, campfire, slightly sweet. with smoke lingering. Yummy, complex, unassuming in the 1st sips. Ripens as you go. Provided you take your time and let it open up.
Picked this up at the saq. I was told it shared a lot of the same flavour profiles as the Lagavulin 16. My first dram to be honest was terrible. I didn't have the ideal glass, however I got strong notes of smoke and an off putting taste of battery acid. I put the bottle away for a week and was rather disappointed. Second dram, maybe the glass, maybe it could breath, but this is a good bottle for Your money. Not as tamed as the lagavulin 16, but well balanced in smoke and spice along with a smooth but bold finish.
Caol Ila 12 Y.is nothing less than the very best Whisky I ever had the exquisite pleasure of tasting and drinking. I have tasted some amaingly 30-60 years though I do not have that many of those like McCallen,High Park,Talisker and the oldest releases of glenfiddich. They are almade diffrently than Caol Ila with regard to degree of smooking.However compared this just 12Y old Caol Ila to similar ones or in he same Class then Caol Ila is seemingly superior than not only those which one normally would compare to as well as being the basic for any whisky rating. The smoky taste set aside this 12Y old Caol Ila has got extraordinary qualiies which may very well not be able to explain but the qualities superceed many very old and special edition plus single cask at cask strength editions.We are taking large number of extremey bespoken and higly celebrated expensive whiskies from best makers and some bottled 30-50 years ago that this Caol Ila supercced in taste by consensus by consensus from a large numbers of members of our esteemed whisky society here. Votes was 741 that has begtten the abve mentioned review against 111 that took mainly took the position that the price difference amounting to asmuch as 20.000 Pound Sterling was linked to the quality as well. Well we many that have opened one of these very expensive bottles in excess of 25-50.000 pound sterling. Sometimes was this whisky quite unique but there is none additional qualities of such superb taste that had set any of these old bottles aside lke for instance the 3 oldest GlenFiddish where one really cannot tell it apart from one of the high-end standard bottles. Best Regards DuxAlex
caol ila is really fascinating experience ever I had.The flaavour is having sweet aroma and woody ,smoky smell always attracting single malt lovers
Got this today at my local liquor store and it is awesome starts out very minty and peppery with some nice sea salt and a nice touch of distinctive peat smoke. the finish is quite meaty almost like smoked ham or bacon and it just keeps getting better as you drink it. a little peppery for my tastes but it is quite a good dram one of my new favs and I would definitely buy this again.
