33 open bottles in my collection ranked through multiple blind tastings. Counting them down! #4: Caol Ila Unpeated Style. Single Malt Scotch. 55.9% ABV. 17 years. B2015 Paid $173 If I buy this again, it will have to cheaper. This bottle can be found for $130-150. More likely, I will try another edition of the Caol Ila Unpeated Style (this is a yearly Diageo special release). 8 months ago, I opened this bottle and didn’t like it. It tasted like dust, limestone, and stingy tonic water. I think I described it as backbone without a soul. I used a fair amount in mixing experiments afterwards, before giving it another chance. It got better. A lot better. So much better that this is the first of four 5-star whiskies that highlight the end of this countdown. The buttery, lemon pie notes took a while to emerge, but they now punctuate an exquisite nose. When I had a freshly opened bottle, there was no fruitiness except for citrus to speak of. Now, as I kill off this bottle, there is a fruit basket! Apples, apricots, lemons, limes, plums. All is balanced very nicely with a rich vanilla, baking spices, and brine. The finish feels carbonated. I still get some tonic water. I also get hints of peat, despite this being “unpeated.” An apple flavor lingers, like hard cider. Add some water to make it less tonic-y and sweeter. I should’ve known better than to rush to judgement with Caol Ila Unpeated. This expression gets released every year by Diageo, and they wouldn’t do this year after year after year if it wasn’t a hit (just look at the $900 NAS Clynelish from a few years back for an example of a special release fail that they stopped making). Still, Lagavulin 12 is the special release that is slightly cheaper. 8 months ago, I would’ve told you the Laga is a million times better. Today, I tell you, it is only slightly better. MARK: 93/100 PREVIOUSLY, ON BATMAN: #5: Paul John Peated Select Cask. $84. 55.5% ABV. NAS. 92/100. #6: Redbreast. $96. 43% ABV. 15 years old. 92/100. #7: Yamazaki. $74. 43% ABV. 12 years old. 92/100. #8: Lagavulin. $70. 43% ABV. 16 years old. 91/100. #9: Benromach. $65. 43%. 16 years. 91/100. #10: Talisker Distiller’s Edition. $72. 45.8%. D2000/B2011. 91/100.