Caol Ila 12 Years
Tasting Video
Quality rating of this bottle
3.8
Rate
342
18
Quality comparison of bottles
i
All tasting notes
28. Jul 2015
Nose:
Smoke, medicinal, citrus note, lime note
Taste:
Sweet, peatsmoke, medicinal note phenol
Finish:
Medium
Smoke, medicinal, citrus note, lime note
Taste:
Sweet, peatsmoke, medicinal note phenol
Finish:
Medium
27. Apr 2015
Nosing:
Subdued, citric fruitiness; a whiff of bath oil and dentist's mouthwash. A fresh and appetising nose, with little or no trace of smoke. A little water raises almond oil and old-fashioned oilskins; still a fresh fruitiness (lychees?), a trace of olive oil, and after a while pot pourri or scented hand-soap.
Taste:
Drinks well at natural strength; sweet start; pleasant, light fragrant smokiness and a lengthy finish. Smooth, pleasant mouth-feel; with water light acidity, some salt and still the sweeter notes. A complex balance of primary tastes.
Finish:
Sweet smokiness in the lingering, slightly sour finish.
Comment:
Subdued, citric fruitiness; a whiff of bath oil and dentist's mouthwash. A fresh and appetising nose, with little or no trace of smoke. A little water raises almond oil and old-fashioned oilskins; still a fresh fruitiness (lychees?), a trace of olive oil, and after a while pot pourri or scented hand-soap.
Taste:
Drinks well at natural strength; sweet start; pleasant, light fragrant smokiness and a lengthy finish. Smooth, pleasant mouth-feel; with water light acidity, some salt and still the sweeter notes. A complex balance of primary tastes.
Finish:
Sweet smokiness in the lingering, slightly sour finish.
Comment:
05. Aug 2016
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Comment: very oily medicinal, rough stuff
Taste:
Finish:
Comment: very oily medicinal, rough stuff
09. Oct 2016
What a characterful dram this is! Caol Ila 12 is a hidden peaty Islay jewel that is underrated by many. On the nose, you get well-integrated bonfire smoke. Unlike with some of the other Islay Single Malts, the peat is balanced and does not mask the complexity of the whisky. It tastes sweet in the arrival and develops full-bodied and oily, including hints of spice and oak. A fire-infused warming glow turns into a long and peaty finish, leaving behind salty sea notes. It is a consistently good whisky and one of the foundation stones of Johnnie Walker Black Label.
RATING: 4.3/5.0 ≙ 89 pts
RATING: 4.3/5.0 ≙ 89 pts
03. Apr 2016
Nosing:
The nose is peat/wood smoke and light antiseptic as well as grapefruit/citrus and slight saline/marine notes.
Taste:
Smoky and somewhat phenolic but also quite sweet compared to other Islay malts I've had. There's a salty tang that hits just before the finish.
Finish:
Medium length with lingering sweetness
Comment:
It can take a drop of water but not much.
Peated whiskies aren't generally my thing as far as preference goes, but the peat isn't so over the top as to put me off in the way that other bottles from Islay have in the past. The peat seems to be a bit more smoky than phenolic which I think does it for me.
The nose is peat/wood smoke and light antiseptic as well as grapefruit/citrus and slight saline/marine notes.
Taste:
Smoky and somewhat phenolic but also quite sweet compared to other Islay malts I've had. There's a salty tang that hits just before the finish.
Finish:
Medium length with lingering sweetness
Comment:
It can take a drop of water but not much.
Peated whiskies aren't generally my thing as far as preference goes, but the peat isn't so over the top as to put me off in the way that other bottles from Islay have in the past. The peat seems to be a bit more smoky than phenolic which I think does it for me.
02. Dec 2017
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Comment:
daily 5star
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daily 5star
12. Mar 2018
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11. Mar 2019
Nosing: Peat, citruses, nuts, wood
Taste: oily, peat which is not overpowering, sour, a bit of wood
Finish: strong sweet-sour wood. I would say one of the best finish from what I have.
Comment: This whisky has very unique profile because of sourness which is very prominent. Also you can definitelly taste the peat, but it is not actually smoky. Very oily, the taste is very strong and mouthwatering. Finish is perfect, from which I can remind a little of JW black.
Taste: oily, peat which is not overpowering, sour, a bit of wood
Finish: strong sweet-sour wood. I would say one of the best finish from what I have.
Comment: This whisky has very unique profile because of sourness which is very prominent. Also you can definitelly taste the peat, but it is not actually smoky. Very oily, the taste is very strong and mouthwatering. Finish is perfect, from which I can remind a little of JW black.
01. Dec 2017
Color: straw
Nose: freshness of the fruits: plums, grapes, apples. Smoke, vanilla, mint. Alcohol is perfectly hidden. The content of the smokiness is superbly balanced - the smoke doesn't dominate, but pleasantly works with the rest 23/25
Palate: black, aromatic coffee, bitter chocolate, smoke, orange peel, butterscotch 20/25
Finish: burned caramel, peat, muscovado, grapefriut, wood, leather, cotton candy, walnuts. A little bit short 20/25
Balance: the quantity of the peat smoke is definitely the strong side of this Whisky (about 20 PPM?). Just like by one of my very favorite Islay Malts (Bunnahabhain 12), the taste is almost completely different than the nose, but in this case (unlike the other one), the nose is much better. Besides, the alcoholic content doesn't dominate. Very well balanced, aromatic Whisky 23/25
Overall: 86/100
Highly recommended
...............Deutsch...............
Farbe: Getrockene Getreide
Nase: Frische der Früchte: Pflaumen, Weintrauben, Äpfel. Rauch, Vanille, Minze. Der Alkohol ist sehr gut versteckt. Der Inhalt des Rauchs ist perfekt ausbalanciert - der Rauch dominiert nicht. Er komponiert perfekt mit anderen Aromen 23/25
Körper: ein schwarzer, aromatischer Kaffee, bitter Schokolade, Rauch, Orangenschale, Karamell-Sahnesoße 20/25
Finish: ein dunkler Karamell, Torf, Muscovado, Grapefruit, Holz, Leder, Zuckerwatte, Walnüsse. Ein bisschen kurz 20/25
Balance: die Menge an Rauch ist definitiv die starke Seite des Whisky (Zirka 20PPM?). Genau wie im Fall eines meiner Lieblings Whiskys - Bunnahabhain 12, der Nase zeigt was ganz anderes als der Geschmack. Hier aber... die Nase ist viel besser. Außerdem, der Alkohol dominiert nicht. Gut balanciert, aromatischer Whisky 23/25
Generell: 86/100
Ich empfehle völlig
Nose: freshness of the fruits: plums, grapes, apples. Smoke, vanilla, mint. Alcohol is perfectly hidden. The content of the smokiness is superbly balanced - the smoke doesn't dominate, but pleasantly works with the rest 23/25
Palate: black, aromatic coffee, bitter chocolate, smoke, orange peel, butterscotch 20/25
Finish: burned caramel, peat, muscovado, grapefriut, wood, leather, cotton candy, walnuts. A little bit short 20/25
Balance: the quantity of the peat smoke is definitely the strong side of this Whisky (about 20 PPM?). Just like by one of my very favorite Islay Malts (Bunnahabhain 12), the taste is almost completely different than the nose, but in this case (unlike the other one), the nose is much better. Besides, the alcoholic content doesn't dominate. Very well balanced, aromatic Whisky 23/25
Overall: 86/100
Highly recommended
...............Deutsch...............
Farbe: Getrockene Getreide
Nase: Frische der Früchte: Pflaumen, Weintrauben, Äpfel. Rauch, Vanille, Minze. Der Alkohol ist sehr gut versteckt. Der Inhalt des Rauchs ist perfekt ausbalanciert - der Rauch dominiert nicht. Er komponiert perfekt mit anderen Aromen 23/25
Körper: ein schwarzer, aromatischer Kaffee, bitter Schokolade, Rauch, Orangenschale, Karamell-Sahnesoße 20/25
Finish: ein dunkler Karamell, Torf, Muscovado, Grapefruit, Holz, Leder, Zuckerwatte, Walnüsse. Ein bisschen kurz 20/25
Balance: die Menge an Rauch ist definitiv die starke Seite des Whisky (Zirka 20PPM?). Genau wie im Fall eines meiner Lieblings Whiskys - Bunnahabhain 12, der Nase zeigt was ganz anderes als der Geschmack. Hier aber... die Nase ist viel besser. Außerdem, der Alkohol dominiert nicht. Gut balanciert, aromatischer Whisky 23/25
Generell: 86/100
Ich empfehle völlig
05. Jul 2015
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