Caol Ila Caol Ila 32 Years Old The Smokery Wemyss Malts Distilled: 1980 Bottled: 2012 1 Of 322 Bottles 46% 1980

Professionele reviews

Serge Valentin (89)

Colour: white wine.

Nose: this is so different from the Mo Or! On the one hand, it’s cleaner, more mineral and peatier Caol Ila. On the other hand, it’s narrower and less complex. The colour is lighter but there is more oak influence, especially vanilla. More than sulphur, caramel or even free radicals ;-), excessive vanilla is the worst thing that can happen to malt whisky in my opinion. And believe me, some distillers are committing suicide these days, unknowingly. Trumpetting suicide! But rant over, that is not the case at all here, this is a beautiful old Caol Ila, just simpler and also smokier than its bro. Also wonderful notes of smoked salted almonds.

Mouth: once again, this is a little simpler but on the other hand, the lemon is louder and lemon would just lift the crappiest spirit in my experience. So yeah, lemon, oysters and kippers, all that smoked to perfection. More brine after a moment, while the spirit looses a bit of steam… While getting earthier as well… Saltier as well…

Finish: longer, very salty. Amazingly salty in fact, what happened? And there’s even a little chilli in the aftertaste, as well as much more smoke a d a feeling of lemonade.

Comments: a fun old Caol Ila that started gentle and civilised and got wilder and wilder. The Expendables’ favourite? Oh crap…