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Country: Scotland
Region: Islay
Brand: Caol Ila 2000 (Silver Seal - Young Bottling)
Type: Single Malt Whisky
Age: 10 Years
ABV: 46 %
Date: 06/12/2013
Colour: Golden Amber
Nose: Clean, Medium-Rough and Straight to the Point Young Islay with Coastal Peat, Smoke, Tar, Brine, Wet Sand, (Cigar) Ashes, light Iodine, Raw Meat, Shell Fish seasoned with Lemon and a Pinch of Salt, Margarine, Toast, Stone Fruit and hints of Menthol and light Rubber. The Alcohol is not yet completely integrated.
Palate: Sweet with soft Peat, Smoke, Tar, Ashes, Espresso, light Honey, light Vanilla, Lemon and Apples.
Finish: Quite Long with soft Peat, Smoke, Ashes, Tar, Pepper, Apple-Vinegar, Lemon, Toffee, light Vanilla, light Menthol, Butterscotch/Toffee and Espresso.
No need to add Water to this Caol Ila 2000.
Rating: 84.5
Nose: 21.5 - Taste: 20.5 - Finish: 21.5 - Overall: 21
General Remarks: The Caol Ila 2000 I am reviewing today was distilled in 2000 and bottled in 2010 by Silver Seal Whisky Company/Whisky Antique SRL , an Independent Bottler based in Formigine (MO), Italy and founded in 1979. It aged in Cask # 312442 and 298 bottles were reserved by Silver Seal. This Caol Ila has its Natural Colour and is Non Chill-Filtered. It won't be very easy to find and costs around 135 US Dollars. Whiskybase in Rotterdam might still have it.
Caol Ila (Gaelic for Sound of Islay or Islay Strait ) is located on the Strait that separates Islay and Jura. The Distillery was founded in 1846 by Hector Henderson. After changing hands many times, the Distillery now belongs to the Diageo Group. Caol Ila supplies lots of Malt Whisky to Blends like Johnnie Walker and Black Bottle
Drinking Experience Neat: Good
Conclusion: The Caol Ila 2000 Silver Seal is a clean -, not overly complicated - and straight-forward young Islay with lots of Coastal tones. There is not a whole lot to discover but it's utterly drinkable and it pairs well with a plate of Oysters or other Shell Fish. If you can afford it you won't be disappointed with this Caol Ila.
Jan van den Ende December 2013
2 comments:
I like the youngish Islaymalts, especially Laphroaig of course ;-)
Sometimes it´s the best way to deliver the typical coastal Flavours, and to bring the sea into your glas. This Caol Ila seems to be a malt like this...
Cheers
The coastal flavours were there Marcus but I missed a bit of fruit to balance out the flavour profile. But certainly not a bad young Islay!
Cheers!
Jan
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