Whisky #4 - Caol Ila 12 Year

Classification: Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Country: Scotland
Region: Islay (Port Askaig: 55.854°N -6.109°W)
Mash Bill: 100% Malted Barley
Strength: 43.0% ABV (86.0° Proof)
Color: Artificially Colored
Filtration: Unknown (most likely chill filtered)
Maturation: 12 years in 100% ex-bourbon casks
Price: $54.99 (Lueken's Liquors)

Overview

First things first - how in the heck do we pronounce the name of this malt?! I have heard two pronunciations - cull-EE-la or cool-EYE-lah - with the emphasis on the second syllable in each. Introductions out of the way, welcome to what I am betting is the first truly polarizing sample in the lineup. So polarizing I feared this sample would be, that it almost never was. It was the steadfast insistence of my much better half however that ensured the group would indeed get to sample a peated single malt from Scotland's fabled island of Islay.

If you think back to Whiskey #3's reveal, we delved into what the malting process is for barley - starting, but halting the germination process to expose the barley's critical sugars and enzymes. Most distilleries halt the germination process by drying the germinating barley using a coal-fired kiln. Islay however has a problem - they have no naturally occurring coal. What Islay does have is lots and lots of peat bogs. Peat, when cut and dried, not only burns just fine but it imparts that distinctive campfire smell and taste that permeates whisky sample #4.

Personally, I have always felt that peated Islay malts are to whisky what blue cheese is to the cheese world. There is no middle ground, people either love or loathe them. It is worth noting that Caol Ila is on the light end of peatiness; some of Islay's other malts - Ardbeg, Laphroaig, Lagavulin - will contain twice as much (or more) peat influence than Caol Ila. A rather humorous tidbit that I have yet to find conclusive proof of is that during Prohibition, clever importers brought Laphroaig whisky into the United States labeled as 'disinfectant'. Customs agents upon inspection allowed the whisky entry based off smell alone feeling no one would voluntarily drink a whisky that smelled as Laphroaig did.

Islay is not the only Scotch region that uses peat, some Highland, Speyside and Lowland distilleries do as well. Highland peat however tends to be more mineral than Islay's vegetal peat, so there is near-zero grassiness to Highland peated malts. Glen Moray, Cragganmore, and Balvenie all produce specific releases featuring Highland peat and are certainly worth exploring.

If curious, more about peat and whisky can be found here.

As for Caol Ila, the brand and distillery are owned by beverage giant Diageo. Diageo owns more Scottish distilleries than any other entity at the moment as well as the powerhouse brand of Johnnie Walker. If you have ever noticed a peaty/smokey note to any of Johnny Walker's blends, you can almost certainly thank Caol Ila as that is Diageo's go-to malt for imparting such an influence. Unbelievably, it is estimated that approximately 95% of Caol Ila's 6.5 million liters of annual production is sent for blending in Johnnie Walker. Caol Ila does produce occasional un-peated releases that while difficult to track down by the bottle, can sometimes be found on whiskey menus of various upscale eateries, definitely worth a sample if so inclined.

It's not just Scotch that Diageo dominates however. From beer (Guinness and Harp) to vodka (Ketel One and Smirnoff) to tequila (Don Julio and Casamingos) to rum (Captain Morgan) to non-American whiskey (Crown Royal), Diageo is a giant in every sense of the word. An interesting footnote that no one truly understands - Diageo in the 1990s correctly predicted American Whiskey would significantly grow both domestically and internationally. Correspondingly, Diageo went on a purchasing spree acquiring both labels as well as distilleries in the United States. Then for reasons that remain unclear to this day, Diageo abandoned almost all their American Whiskey assets in the early 2000s retaining only Bulleit and George Dickel.

Tasting Notes

One fun experiment to try at home - if you have a mediocre whiskey, regardless of type, try adding just a splash of a peated malt to the glass. After letting it rest for a few minutes to marry, see how that peat can liven up what was originally a ho-hum whiskey.

Group Impressions

I suspected month four's impressions would be fun to compile and fun to read. For those that had never experienced an Islay whisky, congratulations, you are now forever imprinted. Like those who knew immediately what was in the sample bottle, you too will be able to instantly recognize this aroma for the rest of your life. Thanks to all for humoring a trip to the smokey side. Where o where will Month Five take us...

Admiral Hawkes
As has become my custom, the first thing I did upon receiving this month’s sample was to unscrew the top and take a whiff. Usually, it is just to get a sense of what type of whiskey (or whisky, for that matter) we were dealing with. This time, the unique and powerful aroma could only have come from one place: Islay. I told the two people in the room with me that I knew exactly what it was, but that can wait.

The tarry, medicinal nose born of peat smoke is certainly not for the uninitiated. If you told a non-scotch drinker that it was turpentine, you’d probably not get much pushback. I did that once with a stranger at a restaurant bar. No push back.

Drinking this beauty requires no ice, no drops of water… it is all-in or nothing at all. The taste at first is certainly consistent with the nose, but as you breathe (and it does as well), you begin to get notes of honey, as bizarre as that sounds next to turpentine. For sure this is an acquired taste, but as you punch through the sensual impact driven by the hand cut peat and floor malted barley, you are rewarded with a depth of flavor and a sense of place that is unique in my experience.

While there are a number of Islay beauties including the famous Lagavulin, I have only had one, and I am quite sure that one is what I was drinking: Laphroaig 10 year old. I was only introduced to it 2 years ago but it is a memorable and pleasurable dram.

Waldo Norris
Ok wow! I wasn’t expecting something smelling so off-putting to be so interesting in flavor.

Appearance:
A nice medium amber color

Oooh that smell, Can’t you smell that smell:
This is about as not pleasing to me, as you can get it. It smelled of strong smoke, alcohol mixed with turpentine Those nose was really setting me off on what to expect from this.

Taste:
So, this is where this shocked me. I was pleasently surprised, that this didn’t follow the nose completely. I wasn’t overwhelmed with an overly strong sip. It certainly had a good amount of alcohol, as I certainly had a nice warmth, but it really seemed quite balanced.  This had a tremendously smokey flavor. I basically felt like I was chewing on a cigar (not in a bad way, if that is possible).  I could taste the oak as well, and some dark fruits, plumbs.

After taking the first few sips neat, I added my drops of water, let it sit for a moment (smell didn’t change much, although it probably lightened up a tad), and I thoroughly got to enjoy this. It was certainly one of the more interesting tastings I have had.

Finish:
Well, this thing stuck around for a long time. Much like smoking a cigar, the smokiness just sat on the palette for some time. The good amount of zip from the alcohol calmed pretty quickly, left the dried fruits to sit on the tongue, and then the smokey. I would say this stuck with me for a good 5 minutes after drinking.

General Thoughts:
Let’s put it this way: I’m glad I’m this club, because otherwise I wouldn’t have been able to try this this. I believe this to be a double barreled, scotch. Aside from the smell, which I still can’t really get over, I thought this was a really interesting glass. I found this to be best when I had this neat, but I am also not much of a mixed drink person, so I would probably prefer most of my drinks neat.

Apollo
Smell:
This one had a very distinct aroma. There was a strong smell of peat which was quite dominant. I wasn't able to detect any other scents over the peat smell.

Appearance:
It was relatively light in color, sort of golden, with very long lasting legs.

Taste:
The taste was very interesting and memorable. The flavor of peat was overpowering to me, but it’s such a unique flavor that I still enjoyed it very much.

Finish:
To me the flavor didn't change much after swallowing but it lasted a long time. The taste stuck around for a minute or so after taking a sip. It did have some lingering tongue tingle as well. I would guess this one is closer to 100 proof.

Summary:
I’m pretty sure this whiskey was one that I'm familiar with called Laphroaig. Probably the 12 year. If it wasn't that then it has a very similar taste. I find it very enjoyable. So much so that, I keep a bottle of Laphroaig on hand most of the time. I currently have their 18 year and that seems to be a bit smoother than this one was.  That's why I guessed that this was the 12 year. Either way, this was a great whiskey with a very strong flavor that I really enjoyed.

Keoki
Ah, another month, another tasting. Before even opening the sample I had already smelled peat. So I'm fairly certain we're going with a Islay region sampling.

Now, six months ago, I could've told you that I was not going to enjoy this month. I had tasted peaty/smoky whiskies in the past and hated them. I was always a Speyside-type enthusiast --- delicate, somewhat sweet and fruity --- and smooth. I wasn't jumping into the deep end of the scotch world.

However, upon sampling a wide range of Scotches with family, I started to get acclimated with Laphroaig. Now, mind you, I didn't enjoy the first quarter of the bottle --- I tolerated it. But after I kept trying it, I loved it -- and now it's my go to.

So, this whiskey hit me with its smell right up front. It was a light gold color that hugged the glass.
The first taste is definitely peat. There's no questioning that. However, when it washes over your mouth it isn't sharp or as intense as the smell says it should be. Truth be told, it is as smooth as a Fiddich or Morangie. I really enjoyed this offering.

If I were going to introduce someone to the world of Scotch ---- I would not use this. However, if I was introducing someone who liked a more mild variety to the world of peat/smoke, this would be it.

This scotch is a great way to see if you are ready to get into the complexities of the Islay region.

I would buy this scotch again. Unfortunately now that I like Laphroaig, I want dive deeper --- like Lagavulin. This is a great teaching scotch in my estimation.

Zeus
Appearance:
Light amber. I'm starting to get the hang this color thing.Smell: Ouch, that burns my sinuses. Not pleasant, turpentine comes to mind initially. Some more sniffs brings out some better characteristics. Light woody smell. I got this pegged as a high proof batch from that burn smell alone.

Taste:
Ouch ouch OUCH! The tip of my tongue burned in a way I never experienced before on the first sip. Felt like I had a paper cut and lemon juice was immediately applied. Not much flavor characteristics on that first sip, probably the burning on my tongue distracted from anything else. Additional sips was a slight improvement. This needed some ice bad to improve it for me. After I dropped a couple of cubes it was way more satisfying. It was not very strong on flavor but had a huge improvement on mellowing out.

Finish:
Much better finish then the initial taste. Does not fade fast at all. The woody taste becomes more apparent after a few seconds. After dropping some ice into the finish was not as strong and faded quicker. I lost the woody finish with the cubes. Damn, I can never be completely satisfied. The more I sipped the more I started to detect the woody taste again in the finish.

General Thoughts:
I love Scotch. Scotchy scotch scotch. Here it goes down, down into my belly. I would be shocked if I got this one wrong. On the rocks is required on this guy for me. I was ready to hate on this based on my initial smell and taste, but this sucka grew on me fast. He went from arch enemy to happy puppy in 3 minutes flat.I loved how much I changed on it in such a short period of time. Complex if I had to give it one word to describe this whiskey.

Colonel Buck Greene
Color:
Light, lighter than the previous samples.

Nose:
A Peat Smell, not too strong of alcohol intensity. Vanilla tones.

Initial Taste:
Very smooth. tasted like a Scotch Whiskey. Flavor was nice.

Finish:
Very smooth, didn't hang out too long on the palate. Had a very slight alcohol tingle late in the finish.

Proof:
Low 80's? Hard to tell but seemed very "low".

Overall:
This was the nicest, smoothest Scotch I believe I have tried. Did not taste like a bourbon. Of course, I've said that for the previous 2 tastings, so who knows! I would drink it again, and most likely order it by name.

Carol Baldwin
Appearance:
Pouring in the glass, the whiskey had a light to medium golden color. Swirling the glass, thin long legs quickly developed.

Smell:
Very sharp and peaty. I immediately thought that this was a scotch.

Taste:
As always, the first taste I take is neat. My first taste confirmed what my nose suspected, and this is a scotch. There is an alcohol burn upon first sip, leading me to believe this whiskey has a higher alcohol content. It is nicely balanced and full flavored however; after the initial burn I detected honey and grassy notes, mellowing into a peaty richness, and finishing with a bit of astringency.I was enjoying the warmth and flavors so much that I was reluctant to add ice, but I did so for the sake of this review. The addition of ice did of course reduce some of the burn but the flavors that I detected before were still very much present. Very very nice.

Finish:
The finish is mildly astringent, mellowing into a pleasant warm peatiness in the mouth that complements the warmth in the belly.

General Thoughts:
So I've been on a bourbon kick lately, and I haven't had scotch for a while. I was a little surprised at how much I really enjoyed this sample. It had a good amount of burn but that was well balanced by the complex flavors which enhanced the overall experience. Very warming and comforting, it was akin to cuddling up on the couch in a favorite blanket when it's cold outside. A nice pick for this month.

Michael Doheny
You're riding high in April...

House rules are as follows, first sample, straight. Second sample, splash of water to keep you honest, and lastly on the rocks, as God intended.

Just when I thought I'd landed an Ace, he slipped me a Joker, and they ain't wild, baby.

The color looked like dehydrated straw, pale and flat. When I caught a whiff of the sample it was biting and angry, lacking any invitation. It was alcohol mixed with turpentine, something they’d use to strip the paint off a battleship.

The first taste was like pennies in a stream, no burn or initial heat, but it was profoundly unpleasant. It wasn’t sour, but there was something off tasting about the drink. A second swig and i was left with a burnt licorice taste that soaked my whole mouth. A late burn set in , but the foul flavor was still there. The final sips were like filing your taxes with Uncle Sam, it’s painful but you gotta get through it.

At first reflection, I thought this might be some type of prank. Some terrible concoction meant to weed out those members of the club that weren’t made of sterner stuff.

We moved to the water round. I said a little prayer to the big man upstairs, Tell me I needn't fear, please be kind. The color was like yellow from an Italian fresco that has just been power washed. The smell was still astringent and formidable; more akin to binding a wound than ordering at your favorite watering hole. 

The water took the bitterness out of the bite, but the uncouth flavor and heat persist. I did a quick swallow, to let the vapors tell their tale, but it seemed to be burning through the bottom of my jaw. There was a flavor of burnt cloves, like a damn beatnik. Also, uneven pepper flavor botching up the works.

As poured myself a glass of proper bourbon to wash the taste out my mouth, I was left to reflect on the contents of this vile vial. It seems to me, this is the type of booze that will get a fella to swing at another fella just for looking at him.

Let's take it nice and easy, ice, baby, do your thing. It smells like something out of a backwoods still; all thunder and no lightning. I stacked the deck and doubled up on the cubes and let it linger like cranberries in a bog. The color turned brackish as the ice did its work.

Dear God, it tastes like apple juice born of some demon Johnny Appleseed. The smell is still potent, but the flavor is much calmer. There are some earthy tones in there, as well as that damn clove. The flavor would be like if you wrung out one of those urinal cakes in the men’s john.

After two more agonizing sips, it was almost over. In the end, it was more water than spirit, but it hung in their like a battered prize fighter, waiting for the one last take down.

This was, by every measure, an evil that was put upon me. I suffered, and am changed. I have no idea what this could be, besides distilled wickedness and pain.

Jonathan Quayle Higgins
Appearance
Medium to dark straw color. A very slight green tint when viewed at certain angles. Unfortunately, all Diageo malts are artificially colored to ensure color consistency from batch to batch. That being said, Caol Ila 12 does not have that classic orange suntan that heavily colored malts have, so I am guessing there is very little coloring added. If that is indeed the case, then why color it in the first place?! Oh well, let’s get on with the good stuff.

Nose
Peat, sweetness, no harshness, mild alcohol punch. A wisp of pine perhaps. On the scale of peated malts from Islay, Caol Ila is below Laphroaig 10/Quarter Cask and Ardbeg 10. I would not consider this a peat bomb like Laphroaig or Ardbeg. This is a very elegant nose - sultry, inviting, warming. The initial smell has the strongest alcohol punch, subsequent smells the punch is gone and the nose is deliciously perfect.

Taste
Peat right off the bat, a bit of effervescence from the alcohol. Peat lingers throughout the taste and there is a nice tingle from the alcohol. The tingle is strong enough that I feel this tastes above its proof. A bit of sharp bitterness in the middle, not offensive however. There is a crescendo of peat and tart citrus (lemon) that coat the mouth. The peat gives way for a moment yielding to the lemon on the tail end.

Finish
Mouth coating peat. Faint lemon. Very warming in the mouth and sinuses. This is a great way to unwind after a full day.

Overall
Full disclosure - I have always loved peated Islay malts. From my earliest Scotch exploration days, I fell immediately in love with Islay’s offerings. While Ardbeg and Laphroaig are the boisterous peat stars on my shelf, Caol Ila is the refined, svelte gentleman; the Cary Grant to other’s Humphrey Bogart. The price is higher than I like and ideally the malt should be offered without coloring and non-chill filtered. But I keep buying bottles and so long as the quality and age statement stay where they are, I shall continue to do so.