Caol Ila 1996 16 Year Old Old Malt Cask #9512 Douglas Laing

Caol Ila 10 Year Old Maltman

I just cannot get enough of Caol Ila. I have said it before and I will gladly repeat it: Caol Ila is one of the most underrated Islay malts, always in the shadow of the Kildalton Trio. Unwarranted, as this young bottling by the Maltman goes to show. The waxy nose immediately transports me to a bonfire on the beach with struck matches, oyster...

Score 81/100

Caol Ila 34 Year Old 1982 Cadenhead Small Batch

Here is another Caol Ila from Cadenhead,b ut a lot older than the one I just tried, bottled a cask strength. It was released for the 10th anniversary of The Nectar and presented at the Spirits in the Sky whisky festival in Brussels in November 2016. Mark Watt was quite persistent that I should try this. Who am I to tell him no? Whilte the typical...

Score 88/100

Caol Ila 12 Year Old 1999 G&M Reserve

Whiskywarehouse Belgium is run by Eric Vermeire, whisky ambassador of the year 2012. This 12 Year Old Caol Ila, from a sherry cask, was bottled for them. Lovely greasy nose with typical ashes and soot, but also quite a bit of sweet fruit. Sultanas, apple and oranges. Olive oil. Almost rotting wood (which is a plus!). Sturdy attack with quite some...

Score 86/100

Caol Ila Vital Spark 5 Year Old 2013

Vital Spark is a release from the Meadowside Blending Co which we know from releases under the labels ‘The Maltman’ and ‘The Grainman’. While it is not stated as such on the label, it’s a public secret that this third batch is a single oloroso sherry butt with my beloved Caol Ila (which cannot be said of batch 2 and 2!). Oh, will you look at that...

Score 88/100