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| Hi, this is one of our (almost) daily tastings. Santé! |
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January 23, 2020 |
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Because we said we’d do that (self-fulfilling prophecies, that’s always very lame, S.) |
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Caol Ila 12 yo 2006/2018 (51.8%, The Whisky Mercenary, bourbon barrel) 
No worries, the very distinguished bottler is actually much more engaging and civilised than he looks on the labels ;-). No bandido and no hell’s angel, mind you. Colour: white wine. Nose: tense, precise, lemony, a touch syrupy, getting a little rootier, almost on mezcal and gentian. That’s the way if you ask me. With water: there, brake fluid, and engine oil for your old boat. Mouth (neat): this is immensely prefect, ueber-clean, wonderfully sweet, on peat smoke and fish oils, kippers, smoked salmon, and then citrons and tangerines that would make it pleasantly sweet indeed. Very very good and exactly what any proper malt aficionado should expect from some young yet mature Caol Ila. With water: same. Finish: rather long and rather more on smoked fish and tangerines. Let’s try that next time we’re doing some cooking (like, around 2027). More pepper in the aftertaste. Comments: young Caol Ila, unless shamelessly botoxed (yeah, finished), will always bring us a lot of joy.
SGP:457 - 89 points. |
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Caol Ila 2000/2019 (52.7%, Malts of Scotland, sherry hogshead, cask #MoS 19012, 220 bottles) 
Colour: gold. Nose: there, fish oils, nut oils, butter cream, fresh walnuts, seaweed, old papers (say Newsweek) and Vicks Vaporub. No big sherry on the way, let’s dance! (what-a-at? Do we have to? ) With water: that famous old fisherman’s boat, dunnage warehouse, old ropes, musty old wine cellar, old jacket, wet dogs (you’ll get medals eventually, dogs)… Mouth (neat): this is excellent. A feeling of cigarette smoke, rather a lot of menthol, leather, marmalade, salt… All that works extremely well, even if it’s a little hot. Or tabasco-y, as they would say at Netflix’s (I’m sure no one will get that joke). With water: perfect. Great smoky and slightly honeyed marmalade. Finish: long, more on citrus, which always works. Comments: the opposite of some stuffy sherry. Rather superb, MR. Malts Of Scotland.
SGP:457 - 90 points. |
Don’t you know you’re getting a little older when we still believe that anything distilled in the year 2000 is super-young spirit? Not talking about me, naturally. |
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Caol Ila 14 yo 2005/2019 (54.5%, Gordon & MacPhail, Connoisseurs Choice for 20th Anniversary of The Whisky Exchange, refill sherry hogshead, cask #19/51, 142 bottles)
It’s refill, so we should be safe, but only 142 skittles from a hogshead? Colour: light gold. Nose: sharp, tense, mineral, coastal, medicinal, and not raisiny. Nice dough too, baker’s yeast, ale… With water: fumes, cigar smoke, leather, old copper kettle, chestnuts, ink… Mouth (neat): yeah, super good, even if some raisins are peeping around the corner this time. Some black olives too, which came unexpected. With water: marmalade and lapsang souchong, plus seawater and kippers. That’s both five O’clock tea and dinner sorted. Finish: long more leathery and saltier. Brine and sour teas in the aftertaste. A drop of wine vinegar, perhaps, olives for sure. Comments: as soon as olives show up, I’m in heaven. Well, more or less.
SGP:367 - 90 points. |
Frankly, these young(ish) Caol Ilas are fantastic whiskies, we are blessed. Never, ever overlook or underestimate them. As far as we are concerned, let’s move on… |
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Caol Ila 11 yo 2008/2019 ‘Reserve Cask’ (48%, Elixir Distillers, Single Malts of Scotland, hogsheads) 
Let’s be very careful, this might go down a little too fast. Colour: very white white wine. Nose: it’s a little small, narrow, and elementary. Nice smoke, fumes, concrete, paraffin, polishes and bread doughs, but other than that, it is a little shy. But it may not be a nosing whisky, let’s see… Mouth: does what you were expecting. Smoke, lemons, brine, ashes, fish oil. Mind you, I love very vertical whiskies, but this might be a little too austere. Cuts you in halves, as they say in Japan (are you really sure, S.?) Finish: very long and very smoky and ashy. Ashes belong to Caol Ila, for sure. Peppery aftertaste.. Comments: super mega hyper-good, but perhaps a we tad too basic this time.
SGP: 357- 84 points. |
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Caol Ila 15 yo 2003/2019 (55.9%, La Maison du Whisky, Artist #9, hogshead, cask #302464, 290 bottles)
I think it’s good that those great people at LMdW would underline the fact that this is ‘peaty’. You never know what people think in Paris… Colour: white wine. Nose: fresh butter and fresh smoke for a start, then all things breads and pastries (including, oui, croissants au beurre). Sharp seawater and ashes, smokes, rocks, cough drops, menthol… No quibbles and no need to go on strike. Yeah I’m trying to do it ‘Paris’. With water: more mineral. Chalk and fresh bread. Mouth (neat): amazing lemons. Indeed it’s all on smoked lemons and limestone. In other words, a Pouilly-Fumé of the whisky world. With water: same. Hints of cucumber – really. Finish: long and perfect, fresh and moreish (which is always very dangerous). Comments: pristine CI. What a distillate!
SGP:466 - 90 points. |
Perhaps a little older CI before we call this a session? |
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Caol Ila 16 yo 1969 (40%, Gordon & MacPhail, Connoisseurs Choice, old brown label, +/-1985)
All right, this is ‘old’ Cao Ila from the old distillery, before it was reconstructed and expanded in the early 1970s (from two to six stills). We’ve had a similar 1969 at 40% vol. for Intertrade that had been utterly stunning, but that was in 2007 (WF 95). Colour: gold. Nose: sweet mother of Vishnu! Old Caol Ila might have been the very best whisky from Islay, it was extremely subtle, it had some kind of resinous smokiness that disappeared later on, with notes of natural rubber and castor oil that cannot not remind us of an old Bugatti. Yeah works with Austins too. It’s very specific, unlike any other peater, and just magnificent. There. Oh and I just adore tangerines. Mouth: total fabulousness. It was a little less smoky than newer distillates, and maybe Is that why old whisky writers used to claim that Caol Ila was ‘a softer Islay’. A statement that everyone’s been propagating since back then, and that’s become totally wrong since… 1972 or 1973. Well, my opinion. Anyway, this has tangerines, salty smokes, kippers, and soft natural rubbers, a profile that’s just unstoppable if you ask me. Tarmac as well, old Caol Ila is also very tarmac indeed. Finish: a little short, perhaps, but boy does it deliver. Exceptional smoked herbal teas, citrus peel, with touches of mangos, and indeed anything reminiscent of tarmac. Comments: could be that I got a little over-excited in 2007, but what’s sure is that this is pretty stunning, even if these old bottles at 40% may now be starting to lose steam… Emphasis on ‘may’.
SGP:455 - 93 points. |
In theory, a proper whisky blogger would now check a CI from right after the reopening. Oh hell… |
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Caol Ila 25 yo 1975/2000 (46%, The Prestonfield, cask #466, 320 bottles)
A series by Signatory Vintage, as you surely know. Not sure it’s fair to have this baby after the otherworldly 1969, but there, we ought to keep the momentum… Colour: straw. Nose: it’s very delicate, and rather on white Graves (or Pessac-Léognan) and hand cream, crushed anchovies, rhubarb juice, ripe gooseberries, a little brine… It really is very different from the 1969, but I would add it’s rather… softer. Rhetoric and practice… Mouth: no, this is rather huge. Not hugely peaty, but extremely citrusy, with literally lorryloads of lemons and grapefruits, then more minimal notes of smoked fish, seashells, and our beloved crushed anchovies and sardines. Samphires too. Not sure anyone could do more coastal, I suppose this was matured at the distillery. Not too sure… Finish: rather long extremely blade-y, salty, lemony, but with these wee feeling of soapy hand cream again – already found it in the nose. Comments: I don’t know if they cranked-up the peatiness later on, what’s sure is that styles are completely different on both sides of the rebuilding. What did they lose after the reopening? Any ides? Tarmac, I would say!
SGP:555 - 91 points. |
This one quickly, just for the road and by way of landing, so to speak… |
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Caol Ila 1991/2008 (54.8%, Scotch Single Malt Circle, bourbon, cask #8195, 270 bottles)
Colour: white wine. Nose: the modern style was already there, with more flints, chalk, lemons, some notes of gentian (Suze), some grassy smoke, and something more medicinal. Mercurochrome. With water: more green apples, rough ales, and bandages. This was clearly medicinal. Mouth (neat): seawater blended with limoncello, and just a touch of varnish. The smoke got more aggressive, having said that, which may suggest that CI got frankly peatier around the year 1990. Just like Bowmore, you’re right. With water: grapefruits and almonds, plus a very wee soapiness. Not something that never happens with Caol Ila. Finish: long and very salty. This one would even leave some salt on your lips, mind you! Comments: lots happening in this intermediary Caol Ila. The grassy saltiness – or salty grassiness – was rather impressive.
SGP:366 - 88 points. |
I think we ought to stop now. Ciao/adios/au revoir. |
 Check the index of Caol Ila we've tasted so far
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