Caol Ila 25 Year

Review by: The Muskox

I find old Caol Ila to be generally underappreciated. Sure, we all like to rave about old Laphroaigs and Bowmores and Bruichladdichs, but for me, Caol Ila hits that old-smoke magic in much the same way. Let’s see if the OB can hang with top single-casks.

Distillery: Caol Ila.

Bottler: Official bottling.

Region: Islay.

ABV: 43%.

Age: 25 years.

Price: N/A, sample.

Color: Colour added. Chill-filtered.

Nose: Savoury and maritime smoke. Oysters, dried whitefish, crispy chicken skin, seaside mud and crushed rocks. Almost hot-pepper savouriness – Cholula and Tajin? There’s some sherry-cask influence buried beneath: wine gums and black licorice. Some classic Caol Ila lemongrass and grapefruit.

Palate: Medium-light texture. Arrives with grapefruit, green apple, and dried herbs, getting deeper and drier and savourier as the whisky develops. Robust oak, unsweetened chocolate, iodine, nori, as well as woody smoke, though it’s a bit more distant. Leather and cigars, slightly leafy.

Finish: Medium, very dark and woody. Black pepper, espresso beans, and pine resins. Slightly nutty, almost pecorino cheese. Lingering cayenne.

Possible SMWS bottling name: “Kelp forest lumberjack”

Conclusion: Classic stuff. It’s on the oaky-savoury-salty side for Caol Ila vis-à-vis the standard indie bottling, but with good depth and balance. It obviously would be better at a higher proof, but you take what you get. What doesn’t get affected as much by proof, however, is elegance – the other older Caol Ilas I’ve tried have this one handily beat in that department. This seems like a whisky that I’d love to get to know over the course of a whole bottle rather than just a tiny sample.  

Final Score: 86.

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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