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By: Anthony Russo | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: 11/3/2018 | Send Email
A gorgeous and powerful expression of one of my favorite whiskys. Youth combined with sherry butt ageing make this cask strength bottling an explosion of Islay flavor that goes way beyond its price point. The peat intensity is more subdued on the nose than on the palate, where it combines with the alcohol to create an apparent sweetness that makes your mouth water for more.
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By: Jackson Lee | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: 11/2/2018 | Send Email
As a huge fan of smoked meats, I’m always excited to try an Islay Scotch, especially Caol Ila. I find myself dipping my nose into the glass more frequently than tipping it back against my lips, not from a lack of taste, but just the sheer pleasure my brain receives from the scent. For this independent bottling, I get a perfectly smoked slab of pork belly as its resting after being taken out of the smoker. Hickory wood naturally follows with a light candied fennel and a butterscotch hard candy. On the finish the sweet BBQ smoke lingers almost as long as it would on your clothes after manning the grill.
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By: Kaj Stromer | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: 11/1/2018 | Send Email
Caol Ila has been one of my personal favorite Whisky producers for over a decade. This Sovereign bottling caught my eye. For a seven year old it shows amazing complexity and polish. The nose is spicy and savory with hints of orange peel and a passing allusion to Mezcal. I enjoyed that added note, sort of a smoky pungency. For $50 I think this would be a valuable addition to most home bars. The whisky is grounded in tradition but possesses a certain “X” factor that makes it somewhat more exotic than many of its peers at this price point. Buy and try!
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By: David Othenin-Girard | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: 11/1/2018 | Send Email
Oh Caol ila. We love you so much. There's just something about this malt that gets me everytime. It doesn't have the fanfare or mystery of the distillers on the southern coast (Lagavulin, Ardbeg, Laphroaig), but it does have some of the best peated malt in the world. Often when the super geeks lament the loss of legends like Port Ellen, we must reminded ourselves that we have a living legend near the little Port Askaig. Few seem to truly appreciate it majesty mostly because the owners don't care to make a big deal of it. But, this wonderful cask is something we rarely ever see - sherried Caol Ila! We've had Caol Ila finished in sherry before but here we've got an old used butt refreshed in Scotland with new sherry. After some time seasoning it was filled with this Caol Ila for a true maturation not just a finish. The result is not something hinting toward a sherried peater, but instead the full hog real deal. It almost feels like cheating. Apparently cheating tastes great sometimes because this stuff is on another level. Deep roasty bbq smoke, dense nutty toffee, leather, tar and salted fruit. The big bold peat (ozone, iodine, bacon smoke and leather) continues on the palate, but is tempered with a sweet dried fruit and smoldering cedar. With water it lightens a bit but keeps its hefty character and rich texture. Adding a bit of salinity and some burnt citrus peel which makes it feel almost refreshing. For some this will easily be the best value whisky of the year. Others might appreciate the depth and complexity. For the peat haters we have other things for you.
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By: Andrew Whiteley | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: 10/31/2018 | Send Email
The sherry on this whisky is out of control. To have this much flavor in 7 years seems impossible. Turns out - the cask was refreshed with sherry prior to being charged with new Caol Ila. Now everything makes sense. It's loaded. Fully loaded. Bacon fat and rancio blend perfectly. Dried nuts, figs, dates, and toasted almonds fold into fresh pastry dough. The whole thing bakes in a wood fired oven and finds itself transmuted from the kitchen to the glass. The good news is this only takes 7 years to make. The bad news is not enough people are doing it this way. This cask will be gone before you know it and I have no idea when we will see one like it again.
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By: Neal Fischer | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: 10/30/2018 | Send Email
This Caol Ila wants you to sip it slowly for long winter contemplation... Reflect on your year as you roll this sweet and smoky whisky around your tongue with its notes of cherry wood, light mesquite, charcoal, old leather, medley of dried and candied fruits, and a super long finish that ties everything together.
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By: Jeffrey Jones | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: 10/28/2018 | Send Email
Young single malts from Islay can be really nice and delicious. This selection from Sovereign helps present proof for this statement. It has pleasant, pretty smoke and malt aromas. In the mouth it is round with a creamy mouthfeel.With a splash of water it opens up with smoke and subtle salt and savory flavors coming forward. A great value at this price.
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