13/01/11 Caol Ila 12yo
Caol Ila 12yo, distillery bottling, 43%.
Possibly one of the least well-known of the Islay distilleries, Caol Ila (Cull Eela) is used in a lot of peated blends, un-named malts and blended malts for it’s character and, presumably, low prices.
Really oily dram, bracing sea spray and tart seaweed. Smoky but not hugely so. Nowhere near as medicinal as the likes of Laphroaig 10yo but there are mild hints of it. Very long finish but it’s not a complex one.
Probably a great introduction to Islay whisky but if you’re already a fan of the big southern islay stills like Ardbeg, Lagavulin or Laphroaig you may find it a bit lacking.
I like it though and it’s good value.
3/5
The C.I. 8 y.o. Unpeated style is an absolute gem in my humble opinion! Do give it a try – highly rated by Jim Murray too. I’m just finishing off a Provenance (for Whisky Castle) 12 y.o. Arran which is a very, very fine dram. Like the site!
Thanks very much, I’ll look out for it! How does it compare to, say, Blasda?
Cheers!
Iain