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Read stories about Caol Ila of A Wardrobe of Whisky blog.

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Review of Caol Ila 25 years old

By Miguel in Tasting , Caol Ila

“The softest Caol Ila peat. Very good but this distillery has more exciting bottles.”

89
Caol Ila 25 Year Old
Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky Distillery Bottling 70cl / 43% This official 25yo from last year was too quickly swept aside due to its lower bottling strength of 43%. But in this case it really works, this is a beautiful and gentle example of aged Caol Ila. If you are interested to see how peat notes change and evolve with age then this is the perfect bottling. Beautiful, symphonic stuff.

This dram has a gold-like color.

Nose (91): average. peat, honey, floral, citrus, vanilla. Soft peat with the deliciously sweet floral aroma of Caol Ila

Palate (89): smooth, powerful, oily. peat, wood, pepper, a little earth, citrus, pepper.

Finish (88): average. peat, floral, spices.

So based on other whiskies I have already tasted I rate this Caol Ila 25 Year Old with 89 points over 100.

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Caol Ila Old Malt Cask 27 years old for The Whisky Barrel Tasting note

By Miguel in Tasting , Caol Ila , The Whisky Barrel

“When you stop finishing whiskies or trying mad cask combinations and just keep ageing it in a good cask you get such great whiskies like this Caol Ila.”

92
Caol Ila Old Malt Cask 27 year 1984 The Whisky Barrel

This dram has a amber-like color.

Nose (91): more than average. peat, salt, iodine, citrus, sea, tropical fruits. A pure Caol Ila pleasure.

Palate (92): smooth, powerful, oily. peat, salt, citrus, floral, wood, pepper.

Finish (92): longer than average. peat, citrus, herbal, spices.

So based on other whiskies I have already tasted I rate this Caol Ila Old Malt Cask 27 year 1984 The Whisky Barrel with 92 points over 100.

Thanks to The Whisky Barrel for this nice official sample.


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Caol Ila Feis Ile 2010 Tasting note

By Miguel in Tasting , Caol Ila

“I am really regretting not having attended Feis Ile festival. Gorgeous dram.”

91
Caol Ila Feis Ile 2010
The 2010 Feis Ile saw some exceptional special releases. Caol Ila offered this stunning natural cask strength bottling, filled into cask number 305646 (a European oak sherry cask) 9th August 1999 and bottled in 2010 after it was specially hand selected by Billy Stitchell.

This dram has a white wine-like color.

Nose (90): more than average. toffee, biscuits, peat, honey, floral, salt. Really malty whisky with nice toffee notes.

Palate (92): smooth, powerful, oily. peat, toffee, spices, honey, vanilla, citrus, floral, salt.

Finish (91): longer than average. peat, wood, floral, salt.

So based on other whiskies I have already tasted I rate this Caol Ila Feis Ile 2010 with 91 points over 100.

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Caol Ila Distillery Only Tasting note

By Miguel in Tasting , Caol Ila

“Lovin' it. Peat muscle with a nice hit of honey.”

91
Caol Ila Distillery Only
The very rare and very special distillery only bottling from Caol Ila. To get this stuff usually, you have to go all the way to Islay! This was launched at the 2007 Feis Ile, and it has a lovely sweetness and sootiness. Very tasty!

This dram has a white wine-like color.

Nose (91): more than average. peat, honey, salt, iodine, citrus, earth, vanilla.

Palate (92): powerful, oily. peat, salt, honey, citrus, spices, wood, pear. Peat-tacular! Peat muscle without big complications. Lovely.

Finish (90): longer than average. peat, honey, citrus, salt.

So based on other whiskies I have already tasted I rate this Caol Ila Distillery Only with 91 points over 100.

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Caol Ila 12 years old Alchemist Tasting note

By Miguel in Tasting , Caol Ila

“A good peat whisky althought won't shake your ground.”

90
Caol Ila 12 year Alchemist
A 12 year old Islay malt from the Caol Ila distillery. This was bottled for the exceptional new Alchemist range.

This dram has a white wine-like color.

Nose (92): strong. peat, honey, seaweed, iodine, floral, citrus. A rather good peat nose.

Palate (90): oily, powerful. peat, wood, earthy, floral, honey.

Finish (89): longer than average. peat, floral, honey.

So based on other whiskies I have already tasted I rate this Caol Ila 12 year Alchemist with 90 points over 100.

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Caol Ila Moscatel Sherry Distillers Edition Tasting note

By Miguel in Tasting , Caol Ila

“Not bad whisky but this whisky doesn't taste as good as it should.”

89
Caol Ila 1996 Moscatel Sherry Finish Distillers Edition
A sherry finished distillers edition from the Caol Ila distillery. Distilled in 1996, the Moscatel sherry has coalesced beautifully with the smoked power of the Islay single malt, the feinty notes are beautiful with cigar box and honey.

This dram has a gold-like color.

Nose (92): strong. peat, honey, a littlegrapes, floral.

Palate (88): oily, powerful. peat, iodine, cocoa, wood. It doesn't work. The combination of peat and sherry doesn't work on this whisky.

Finish (87): long. peat, cocoa, citrus.

So based on other whiskies I have already tasted I rate this Caol Ila 1996 Moscatel Sherry Finish Distillers Edition with 89 points over 100.

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Caol Ila 30 years old Master of Malt Single Cask Tasting note

By Miguel in Tasting , Recommended , Caol Ila

“ A great whisky that is to Caol Ila what the Master of Malt Bowmore 26 years old is to Bowmore, extravagant, different, but great!”

92
Caol Ila 30 year Master of Malt Single Cask
An unbelievably good single cask Caol Ila bottled by Master of Malt for their Single Cask range.

This was distilled in 1980 and aged in a single refill hogshead before bottling in 2010. A release of just 154 bottles at natural cask strength - non chill-filtered of course!

Extravagant and different whisky but simply awesome on the end! I love it

This dram has a white-like color.

Nose (88): inexistent. sweet, fruit, peat, wood, eucalyptus. First nosing data is innacurate as the previous tasting sheet lacked of this field.

Palate (96): . sweet, floral, fruity, violets, eucalyptus and peat. Bouquet data is innacurate as the previous tasting sheet lacked of this field.

Finish (92): no finish. peat and eucalyptus. Finish length is innacurate as the previous tasting sheet lacked of this field.

So based on other whiskies I have already tasted I rate this Caol Ila 30 year Master of Malt Single Cask with 92 points over 100.

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Caol Ila 18 years old of Islay Collection Tasting note

By Miguel in Tasting , Caol Ila
83
Caol Ila 18 Year Old Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Extra ageing has calmed the impact of the phenols, with the peat arriving on the palate late, and tempered by smooth oak. A very mellow, mature Islay malt.

This dram has a white-like color.

Nose (84): inexistent. fruity, melon, a little peat, malt sweetness,a bit wood and salt. First nosing data is innacurate as the previous tasting sheet lacked of this field.

Palate (80): . sweet and fruity, pears. Bouquet data is innacurate as the previous tasting sheet lacked of this field.

Finish (84): no finish. long, peaty and hot. Finish length is innacurate as the previous tasting sheet lacked of this field.

So based on other whiskies I have already tasted I rate this Caol Ila 18 Year Old Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky with 83 points over 100.

Buy this bottle at

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Caol Ila 12 years old of Islay Collection Tasting note

By Miguel in Tasting , Caol Ila
88
Caol Ila 12 year
Caol Ila lacks as single malt of the exposure and praise it has as a tool for whisky blenders.

It is a medium weight, but still packing plenty of potent phenols, this is a refined, powerful dram with a compensating oiliness. A balanced, peaty beauty.

If you like Caol Ila you should try Ardbeg Uigeidail.

This dram has a white-like color.

Nose (92): inexistent. sweet, honey, vanilla, peat, floral, citrus, salt, iodine, peat. First nosing data is innacurate as the previous tasting sheet lacked of this field.

Palate (88): . sweet and peaty, salty. Bouquet data is innacurate as the previous tasting sheet lacked of this field.

Finish (84): no finish. peat , vanilla, sweet. Finish length is innacurate as the previous tasting sheet lacked of this field.

So based on other whiskies I have already tasted I rate this Caol Ila 12 year with 88 points over 100.

Buy this bottle at

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Islay Collection

By Miguel in News , Caol Ila , Lagavulin , Port Ellen

Islay Collection 2006

Islay Collection is a pack of some Diageo’s Islay whiskies like: Caol Ila, Lagavulin and Port Ellen. It is a pack for peat lovers. So stay away if you don’t like peat whiskies.

It is a cheap way of tasting some great malts like Port Ellen and Lagavulin.
The pack features a 20cl size bottle of:

  • Caol Ila 12 years old
  • Caol Ila 18 years old
  • Lagavulin 12 years old Special Release Cask Strength
  • Lagavulin 16 years old
  • Port Ellen 6th Release Cask Strength

I got my pack for £70 but it is usually around £100. Anyway given that Port Ellen full bottle is so expensive the pack itself is cost less than the 20cl bottle of PE.

I will post the tasting of the whiskies on the next days.


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