The Sound of Islay runs like a ribbon of cold grey water between Islay and Jura, and right there, facing the current, sits Caol Ila looking across to the Paps of Jura. This is where the smoke comes from. Not the heavy, tarry south-shore peat, but something lighter, saltier, more maritime. This bottle is an older release from the 1990s, yellow band, one litre - a glimpse of how the Islay classic looked before the later design changes.
The expert's description of Caol Ila 12 Year Old 1 Litre OLD VERSION Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Caol Ila has been bottled as a 12 year old under various owners since the 1970s, and this is an older litre bottle with the yellow band that many will recognise from shop shelves in the 1990s. It's a discontinued release in an old design, and the litre format was for many years the classic duty-free and export bottling, making it a fun detail for collectors of older Caol Ila.
The whisky is distilled on the north-east coast of Islay near Port Askaig, where the distillery was torn down in 1972 and rebuilt from the ground up, with production back by 1974. The malt comes from Port Ellen Maltings, where it's kilned over peat smoke to around 30-35 ppm - the same level as Lagavulin, but the character turns out completely different. Caol Ila is matured on the mainland, mainly in refill ex-bourbon American oak casks, and it's that cask type that gives the pale colour and the clean, fresh style where the distillery's own character is allowed to step forward ahead of the oak.
Caol Ila is the largest distillery on Islay by production, and the vast majority goes into Diageo's blends - not least Johnnie Walker. Only a smaller share becomes single malt, and that's exactly why older official bottlings like this one hold a special place with those who follow the distillery closely.
Tasting notes
Nose
Fresh and maritime. Lemon peel and green apple first, then a waft of soft peat smoke, seaweed and a hint of almond oil. Cut grass and a faint sweetness in the background.
Palate
Good oily texture. Elegant smoke, tar and boiled sweets, with citrus zest and a salty, briny edge. Pepper and a light medicinal note that nods to Islay's heritage without turning heavy.
Finish
Long and peppery. The smoke turns more ashy towards the end, with lemon, lime and a final, soft sweetness that settles.
Specifications
Name: Caol Ila 12 Year Old 1 Litre OLD VERSION Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Distillery: Caol Ila
Region/Country: Islay, Scotland
Type: Single Malt Scotch Whisky
ABV: 43%
Size: 1000 ML
Cask type: Ex-bourbon oak casks
Edition: OLD VERSION, yellow band, 1990s
EAN no.: 5000281019390
Flavour profile
Smoky · Maritime · Fresh · Citrus · Oily · Lightly medicinal
Did you know?
Caol Ila means "Sound of Islay" in Gaelic - the very strait between Islay and Jura that the distillery's still house looks straight out over. The view from the still house across to Jura's three peaks, the Paps of Jura, is considered one of the finest in all of Scotch whisky.
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