Caol Ila 12 Year Old

  • Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky
  • Distillery Bottling

70cl / 43%

4 (85 Reviews)

Caol Ila 12 Year Old

In Stock

Web Exclusive Price

£43.95

£36.63 ex VAT

(£62.79 per litre)

Estimated Delivery

  • Express delivery(Choose a day)

    From £6.95

  • Standard delivery (3-7 Working Days)

    From £4.95

  • Click & Collect (Mon-Fri 10am - 5pm)

    Free

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

More from Caol Ila

See All

Customer Reviews

Reviews (85)

Reviews

  • 5

    Anonymous,

    I love peat single malt. This is probably my new favorite. Amazing. Sharp, brine, sea salt, apple. Love it.

  • 1

    Brian,

    Smoky and peaty tastes throughout, leaving it almost medicinal. Not for me.

  • 4

    Blair,

    A very good dram, one to enjoy slowly. It has a very nice finish. Nice to relax with and take it all in.

  • 5

    Saraji,

    Wonderful! A perfect balance of smoke and sweetness. So light and dry it's almost ethereal. Faeries have just danced on my tongue!

  • 2

    Joel,

    Bought this one after a friend recommendation and... Jesus it is bad ! I am big fan of islay single malts, but really, this one is not for me. The nose is already badly balanced with a hint of fruits and then Peat and Tar overpowering. The attack is smooth with gentle banana I guess, and then again peat. Reminds me of the Laga 8 yo, which is all about peat as well, really not my cup of tea. I really like when it is peaty and smoky, but it has to be well balanced, complex like the lagavulin 16yo, ardbeg Corryvrekan, Springbank 10yo, Laphroaig triple wood for instance.

You May Also Like

Good To Know

How we pack

  • Eco-friendly Packaging

    Our boxes are made of 100% recyclable cardboard. Our special polystyrene packing chips and even our plastic bubble wrap are made from recyclable materials.

  • Flexible Delivery Options

    We deliver to countries all over the world – including Christmas Island! You can also select express delivery, or pick a specific delivery date, at checkout.

  • Packed With Care

    Our experienced warehouse team take great care with every order. As specialists in glass packaging they ensure that your items stay safe and secure in transit.

14-Day returns policy

We want you to be 100% happy with your order and it is our aim to ensure that all products supplied to all customers arrive in perfect condition. You have the right to cancel your order at any time without being charged for the goods ordered within 14 days of purchasing (other than for perishable or personalised products or those products that have been specified as non-returnable).