Caol Ila 1981 21 Year Old First Cask #282

Caol Ila 25 Year Old 1983 Bladnoch Forum

A Caol Ila of a quarter century old! For an official bottling, you’d have to give up your left kidney, but this one used to be available from the Bladnoch Forum for a very fair price. It was only 150 EUR way back in 2008. Ah, the good old (?) days. Wonderful! Hurray! I’ve only just put my nose in the glass and the party is already started! I am...

Score 88/100

Caol Ila 12 Year Old 2000 James MacArthur

This cask strength bottling under the Old Master’s label was released in 2012 by the independent bottler James MacArthur. It is very, very pale. The nose is typical Caol Ila. And that is always a good thing. Creosote and ashes with some seaweeds on the one hand, while sweet fruit in the shape of pears and baked apples counter foots this on the...

Score 86/100

Caol Ila CI4 Elements of Islay

Elements of Islay does not need an introduction. The apothecary style bottles of 50cl, released by Specialty Drinks – now Elexir Distillers – offers Islay malts with a code on the label reminiscent of the Table of Mendeleev. This CI4 is their 4th Caol Ila, by now already 7 years in the bottle. I have only tried 11 of these Elements and this is in...

Score 88/100

Caol Ila 26 Year Old 1983 The Perfect Dram

This Caol Ila 1983 from The Perfect Dram was bottled a decade ago. The release was 240 bottles strong, at cask strength. Great bronze color, by the way. It must have been a very active cask, for the distillery character of Caol Ila is totally unrecognizable on the nose. While I deplore that a bit, I cannot deny that this nose is absolutely great....

Score 90/100