Caol Ila 18 Year

Very smooth. Honeysuckle and a bit of peat.

Moderate levels of peat smoke in the nose and on the palette. It’s a bit sweet, but also rather salty. There’s a fairly light amount of that BAND-AID aroma and flavor. Oh, and spicy pepper. The sweet smoke and medicinal flavor continues in the long finish. 3 cl sample from The Premium Whisky Advent Calendar (2020 Edition).

With a natural preference for the independent bottlers, one tends to overlook how good some of the official bottlings can actually be. More settled and complex, the years have tamed this Caol Ila 18 quite a bit. Leaning towards smoldering bonfires, sea spray and sour apples, the nose unfolds with buttermilk, lemon and hints of aniseed. A wonderful combination of peaty, salty-sweet and acidic flavors dance on the palate, raw and yet elegant. Herbal tea, dry peat smoke and a touch of miso soup characterize the long finish. This malt is worth every penny! RATING: 4.2/5.0 stars ≙ 89 pts → FIRST-CLASS [+]

Nose: sweet and salty smoke. Taste: salt and smoke, some sweetness to it after the smoke, something bittery lingers.