Caol Ila 12 Year Old

  • Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky
  • Distillery Bottling

70cl / 43%

4 (98 Reviews)

Caol Ila 12 Year Old

In Stock

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£46.95

£39.13 ex VAT

(£67.07 per litre)

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Caol Ila 12 Year Old is of medium weight, but still packing plenty of potent phenols, this is a refined, powerful dram with a compensating oiliness. A balanced, peaty beauty..

Tasting Notes (3)

More Choices

Flavour Profile

Style

  • Body
  • Richness
  • Smoke
  • Sweetness

Character

  • Vanilla Vanilla
  • Pear Pear
  • Brine Brine
  • Tar Tar
  • Smoke Smoke
  • Toffee Toffee
Facts

Facts

  • Bottler Icon

    Bottler

    Distillery Bottling

  • Age Icon

    Age

    12 Year Old

  • Country Icon

    Country

    Scotland

  • Region Icon

    Region

    Islay

  • Colouring Icon

    Colouring

    Yes

Tasting Notes

Tasting Notes

  • Tasting Notes by the Whisky Exchange

    • Nose

      Intense and rich, with malted barley and gentle floral touches overcome by smoky notes.

    • Palate

      Light and fresh, with toffee, vanilla and pear balanced by smoke and ashy touches.

    • Finish

      Complex and long, with sweetness fading to leave dark and smoky flavours.

  • Tasting Notes by Rocky

    • Nose

      An intensely rich nose of Shreddies and toffee with hints of violet. When left in the glass for a minute or two, smoky bacon notes were also apparent.

    • Palate

      Fairly light in texture with notes of toffee, vanilla and pear joined by a hint of ash on the very back palate.

    • Finish

      Light in intensity, but not in complexity. The sweeter notes from the palate end fairly quickly, leaving a delightful subtle finish of ash, tar and light peat.

    • Comment

      Another excellent whisky for those who don’t like their Islay too peat-heavy. I tried this with some Cashel Blue cheese and as has been proven many times before, peated whisky and blue cheese are a match made in heaven.

  • Tasting Notes by Dave Broom for Whisky Advocate

    • Comment

      Funny to think how recently Caol Ila was an Islay giant that was kept pretty much under wraps by its owner. These days it has cemented its reputation as the island's Mr. Consistent. This version shows its character the best, a nose that mixes seashore and grass with a distinct hint of smoked bacon. The peatiness isn't dominant, but flows through-out the palate, scenting, lifting and subtly changing the mix. A delicious oiliness makes it a great food whisky.

    • Score

      89 Points

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Customer Reviews

Reviews (98)

Reviews

  • 3

    Grant,

    Yeah, nah. Not really the one for me. A pleasant enough somewhat smooth whiskey. Dominant smoke but lacking overall complexity and anything like a robust body. A distinctly thin and somewhat medical/alcoholic feel in the mouth.

  • 4

    MAK,

    When I found out this was the primary source of smoke in the Johnnie Walker Black label I was apprehensive to try it, can't say I'm a fan of the blend. However this on the other hand ticks all the right boxes as an Islay for me. Lovely smokey sweetness on the nose with a surprisingly light taste, some vanilla and stone fruit on the palate which disappears into a nice ashy finish. If you ever see this on sale, stock up, its great served neat and works wonders for your tastebuds in a smokey old fashioned.

  • 5

    Alex,

    This doesn’t get the same love as other Islay distilleries, but do not underestimate the richness and complexity of this expression. Rarely is this seen on sales and offers, which is testament to high standard of this distillery bottling.

  • 5

    RBW,

    Smokey bacon straight out of the bottle then a good whiff of smoke and brine.A few minutes later vanilla/toffee notes.The taste is superbly sweet and smoky which gives way to a heavenly ashy finish.Truly a great among whiskies

  • 1

    Dram.Bam,

    Most disappointing Islay whisky I've tried. I have given this dram 3 goes now. The results are the same each time. Nose is almost chemical. There is something sweet and smokey there, but its overpowered by something less pleasant. Taste is medicinal, tar, ash, overwhelming. It's almost like it should be sweet and smokey but something is killing it. It feels really light on the mouth initially, but as the taste fades, the somewhat surprising burn begins. For a whisky of this ABV and age, I was expecting something much smoother and more tasteful. It could just be my bottle... but I doubt it. I've tried younger whiskies recently with far more enjoyable characteristics.

Disclaimer

Disclaimer

While we endeavour to provide full and accurate information on our website, there may be occasions where producers have updated their recipe or failed to provide full details of their ingredients and processes. This may affect factors including the product style and allergen information, and we would advise that you always check the label and not solely rely on the information presented here. If you are at all uncertain about a product then please contact our customer service team before purchase.

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