Caol Ila 1965 36 Year Old Private Collection Gordon & Macphail

Caol Ila 12 Year Old 1996 QV.ID

As you probably know, Caol Ila is my favourite Islay distillery. I have yet to try a Caol Ila that I did not like. I found an older sample in my cabinet from the Belgian bottler QV.ID, a Coal Ila from 1996, bottled in 2009. Let us see how this pale Ileach fares. The nose starts pretty closed. You need to give it some time to discover the very soft...

Score 83/100

Caol Ila 12 Year Old

I’ve had this bottle for a couple years, and had not had any for quite some time, so I decided to go back and give it another try. I had it neat, and it pours a light golden straw color. The pour is thin, with no ring left around the glass. On the nose, you immediately get brine and peat, along with a bit of caramel and tea. The initial taste...

Score 86/100

Caol ila 18 Year Old

Nose is a warming mellow peat smoke. With plenty of dry salty goodness. November 5th Bonfires on a dank autumnal night - with a little hint of treacle toffee for good measure. Calming and relaxing. Very smooth peaty palate but with liquorice now. Smokey barbecue flavours overlay a continuing briney dryness. It is mellow but perhaps a bit one...

Score 83/100

Caol Ila 12 Year Old

As I sit here, the rain outside my home is pounding. Pounding the roof, pounding the windows, just banging like a banished child that wants to be let in to their home. It seems like whenever it rains like this, my mind turns to Islay. That region just seems to produce whiskeys that truly take me to their environment. It makes me crave a salty...

Score 89/100