Line Up #18 : Caol Ila Independent Bottlings I, youngsters and damsels

16 Juine 2023. 

 

 

 

 

 

The Line Up Project

With nearly 4 million litres of pure alcohol per year, Caol Ila is by far the most productive distillery in Islay. Since the island’s products are highly sought after, it is not difficult to get rid of the surplus by selling it to independent bottlers. Caol Ila is certainly the distillery that offers the most independent bottlings in the whisky world. Young, old, sherry, bourbon, wine, everything is represented. In 2022 alone, more than 300 different bottlings recorded on Whiskybase, almost all independent. In this extreme variety, is the quality lost? Are there any benchmarks, constants?

 

 

 

 

This is why I decided to try all the Caol Ila IB in my possession. As they are easy to find, cheaper than normal, obviously I have many, probably too many. An opportunity to do some cleaning and to have an overview of what this distillery does. Three steps, first the young bottles, 10 years and under, then the middle-aged, then the aged. There are of course important differences between the three types of age, in my humble opinion.

 

 

 

 

The Tasting

Caol Ila 2011 Whisky Live Paris 10 yo : Special bottling for the Whisky Live Paris 2021, distributed by La Maison du Whisky, but coming from the Signatory Vintage casks.
Very fruity, light peat, plum and banana, vanilla. Biscuit, fine dust, ethereal iodine. Soft and round palate, Mirabelle, light spices, honey and milk. Finish rather long and oaky. Cola. Score : 86

 

Caol Ila 2012 Càrn Mor Strictly Limited 8 yo :Morrison Scotch Whisky Distillers, formerly known as Morrison & MacKay, is a Scottish bottler, little known but highly respected.
Sweet sherry, rather sticky, raisins, blackcurrant and cranberries. Nuts, undergrowth, smoked meat. On the palate, hazelnut and red fruits, intense spices, gooseberries and pomegranate. Long and juicy finish, crushed strawberries, oak bark.  Score : 88

Caol Ila 2012 Thompson Bros. 9 yo : Another Scottish bottler, more recent but which we hear a little more about.
Nice grainy smoke, ashtray. The tide, some white fruits. Fresh fish. Velvety palate, rare fruits, thick peat, strong spices. Explosive and long finish, iodine, hazelnuts, cola. Score : 87

 

Caol Ila 2012 A Dream of Scotland 10 yo : German bottler, very famous for its bold finishes and colourful labels.
Rather intense, but pleasant winey hints. Spellbinding ash smoke, crunchy red fruits. Waves of iodine, gooseberries. Red wine on the palate, intense spices, cloves, cumin. Explosive and long finish, charcoal, damp earth, humus. Soot. Score : 88

 

 

 

 

Caol Ila 2011 The Old Friends 9 yo : Another German bottler, confidential, but reputable.
Thick smoke, ashtray, hot asphalt. Heather, wood, ferns. Melted butter, caramel nuts. Very silky mouth, honey and spices, intense wood. Very powerful and long finish, charcoal, chestnuts and figs. Score : 89 

Caol Ila 2015 Claxton's Exclusives 6 yo : English bottler still little known.
Intense iodine, tide, seaweed, kelp. Oyster juice, sea urchins, whelk, boutargues. Oily palate, beeswax, vanilla, thick peat, intense spices. Long and explosive finish, like a falling wave. Sea foam. Lemon. Ripe wheat. Score : 88

 

Caol Ila 2011 Scottish Roadsign Edition N°13 9 yo :German bottler, very confidential this one, little reputation.
The iodine is milder, more pleasant, the smoke dustier. Engaging tide. White plum not very ripe, limestone. Quite good palate, vanilla drizzle, and marine fragrances. Strong spices. Powerful and iodized finish. Green tea. Score : 85 

Caol Ila 2010 Cask Strength Collection 9 yo c. 316658 : Signatory Vintage is an excellent Scottish bottler, its reputation is well established.
Rich and very complex nose, nuts, pine needles, wood resin, melting caramel, fudge, forest fragrances. Very sweet and pleasant palate, honey and maple syrup, tamed spices. Violent finish, just the right amount, coal, bark, cola. Cooked apple. Score : 89 

Caol Ila 2010 Cask Strength Collection 10 yo c. 316643 : Even richer and more complex nose, raisins, red fruits, nuts, leather, blood orange, coniferous forest. Dried banana. Soft toffee. Silky, honeyed, spicy palate. Wood, nutmeg, cumin, black pepper. Long and explosive finish without being aggressive. Cola, heather, smoked tea, cloves. Score : 89 

Caol Ila 2010 Cask Strength Collection 9 yo c. 316648 : Fruitier nose, apricot jam, soft caramel, resin. Brugnon. Smoke in the background but well present. On the palate silk and honey, then spices, cumin, cloves, nice balance. Powerful finish but less fruity, coal and iodine, long and calcareous. Almonds. Score : 89 

Caol Ila 2012 Asta Morris 7 yo : Belgian bottler this time, known and famous, but less and less focused on whisky.
Smoke mixed with sherry, apricots and sticky peat. Heather, young wood, a clearing in the forest. Light iodine. Very silky palate, barely some spices, pungent honey, plums, blood oranges. The spices become strong little by little. Long and powerful finish, cola, dried apricots. On the beach, whipped by waves and salt. Lemon. Score : 89

What I gain from it

• First of all it's a very good distillery, whose flavours are preserved despite the different maturations. Very iodized, coastal, peaty, spicy, long and maritime finish. With sherry and wine we have woody fragrances, dried fruits, a nice balance.
  
• For young Caol Ila, I recommend aging in Bourbon barrels. It is not that the other casks give a bad result, not at all, but the young Caol Ila are very powerful and iodized, I find it a shame to soften it with sherry or wine.
  

 

 

 

• Sometimes, I notice that the casks are beautifully crafted, to hide the youth of the product, and this works very well, particularly with Signatory Vintage. At other times, the cask is a little too invasive, and this hides the distillate, despite a pleasant result, as with A Dream of Scotland. Finally, it happens that the youthfulness is asserted and assumed, and this can produce something very impressive if you like the profile, as with Claxton's.
  
• Overall, the notes do not exceed 89, it remains a young distillate, which can give very good stuff, but nothing overwhelming. Below 88, we can estimate that the purchase is not worth it, especially with today’s prices.
   

 

 

 

Conclusion

Caol Ila is a distillery that lives very well its youth. It has a certain energy, without being too impetuous, it has its subtleties too. It keeps its character in most agings (well, with A Dream of Scotland, it’s special!), it has several facets depending on the casks that welcome it, powerful and coastal with bourbon, foresty and fruity with sherry. It suits everywhere, it can fulfill all desires, all experiments. This is why we find so many young Caol Ila on the market. Some distillates need a certain age to be good, others need the influence of sherry. This is not the case with Caol Ila, provided you enjoy the peat kick, of course. This allows independent bottlers to offer successful products at a reasonable price, so Caol Ila is one of the few reputable distilleries that remain more or less affordable. 

It is the best way to test an independent bottler, or to dare an original purchase. You will not be disappointed with this distillery. Out of 11 expressions, only one did not live up to the expectations. That is a reference we can count on. 

All pictures were taken on the distillery site.