Caol Ila 15 Year 2000 (2016 Special Release)

I am a sucker for cask strength whiskies. I generally prefer mine prayed, but this is really good. Piercingly pure, intense, balanced.

Nose: straw and brine Taste: Sweet honey, vanilla bean, black pepper Smooth for such a high proof

Nice fruit note strong alcool but not overpowering in the mouth add splash of water and hit a brand new sample to taste

I've seen this as high at 180 bucks. I bought it on clearance for 100. Is it worth it at either price? 61.5% unpeated Caol Ila. Nose - first off the alcohol on the nose is really hard to get past. Salted vanilla and young oak. There isn't alot of sweet notes. The Stitchell Reserve which I last reviewed was so sweet and inviting, this is dry and a bit off putting due to the alcohol notes. Water (COLD water) tames the alcohol and brings out more of the salty notes and a touch of caramel maybe...it's more sweet oak I think. Taste - Oak and vanilla and islay salted malt seem to really be at issue here. Fighting each other and ending with oak bitter notes. Water brings out more salt, oak spice, hard to enjoy levels of spice. More water and that spice fades a hair but the heat and alcohol don't. It's creamy still, there's that caol ila malt which I'm a fan boy for but everything here is off putting, out of place, and the alcohol and wood are off. This is bold stuff folks. I don't want to say anything too negatives as I'm influenced by their simply FAR better examples of unpeated whisky. Still, this one is very much unrefined and harsh. This will appeal to a lot of people mind you. I'm going to however have to score it a 1.5. Most whisky drinkers won't enjoy the heat and aggressive nature of this. It just isn't a good example of unpeated cask strength Caol Ila. 150-180 is the normal price range and at that, it's a HUGE pass. I paid 100 and at that price, the high abv makes it a much more reasonable splurge. I'm not happy with it however even at that price.