Caol Ila 11 Year (2008) Whiskybase.com “Bottled to celebrate 150,000 bottles in Whiskybase”

Review by: The Muskox

Whiskybase is, at least for me, an invaluable tool for getting information on whiskies and reading reviews. To commemorate their database growing to a rather staggering 150,000 bottles, they’ve put out a friendly Caol Ila. I’m personally responsible for adding… about 7 of those bottles, which I guess entitles me to a sample. Let’s see how it is!

Distillery: Caol Ila.

Bottler: Whiskybase.

Region: Islay.

ABV: 58.1%. Cask strength

Age: 11 years. Distilled October 10th 2008. Bottled March 18th 2020.

Cask type: Cask #318620, a hogshead.

Price: N/A, sample.

Color: Straw. Natural Color. Non-chill-filtered.

Nose: Fresh peat, somewhat light. Salty and savoury, but clean – shio ramen perhaps! Even a kind of menma nutty-woody-salty note. Smoldering lemongrass, smoldering lemon, smoldering grass, dried oregano, and a light dusting of black pepper. Cider vinegar and ham.

Palate: Medium-oily texture. Soft yellow fruit on the arrival: lemon, yellow plums, lychee, honeydew, and a margarita with salted rim (margaritas are a fruit!). Lots of charred marshmallows, some light dried herbs, and a layer of ash. Cayenne pepper. A little wintergreen and coconut.

Finish: Fresh and savoury. Lemon on roast fish. Lemon squares. Capers and clams.

Possible SMWS bottling name: “Lemon party”

Conclusion: A fine Caol Ila, rather light and clean but satisfying. There’s a great saltiness that cuts through the whisky, balanced by the lemony tartness and those savoury notes. The floor for these kinds of Caol Ila bottlings is pretty damn high, so no surprise that even a fairly straightforward (but nuanced) one is really tasty.

Final Score: 83.

Scoring Legend:

  • 95-100: As good as it gets. Jaw-dropping, eye-widening, unforgettable whisky.
  • 90-94: Sublime, a personal favorite in its category.
  • 85-89: Excellent, a standout dram.
  • 80-84: Quite good. Quality stuff.
  • 75-79: Decent whisky worth tasting.
  • 70-74: Meh. It’s definitely drinkable, but it can do better.
  • 60-69: Not so good. I might not turn down a glass if I needed a drink.
  • 50-59: Save it for mixing.
  • 0-49: Blech.

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