Caol Ila 15 Year 2000 (2016 Special Release)

From Caol Ila, this is another hard-to-find bottle. The 2017 18-year old release was tasted previously; this 2016 15-year old is now in hand. Like the older bottling, this is unpeated and bottled at its full cask strength. Coming in at 61.5%, it's expected to be quite potent. Nose: Exhibits malty and buttery qualities. Notes of apple, pear, apricot, and florals emerge. Hints of lime and orange citrus are present, alongside vanilla and caramel. It smells like sugar cookies. Almond, walnut, and a good measure of oak are detected. No ethanol is apparent; only a few sharp baking spice notes hint at the high alcohol content, such as clove, nutmeg, cinnamon, and black pepper. Palate: Continues with buttery and malty notes. Cashew, toasted almond, and walnut are present, as is macadamia. Cola and plum flavors appear. Orange and lime return from the aroma. Vanilla and caramel are tasted. Chinese pear. Coconut. Ginger snaps and sugar cookies are also detected. Finish: Notes of apple, pear, apricot, lime, and orange. Cola and plum. Ginger snaps. The fruit flavors transition into waves of cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, black pepper, and oak. It's exceptionally long. This is a commendable whisky. It possesses many traits typically found in unpeated cask strength Scotches, whether from Islay or elsewhere. The finish is particularly noteworthy, being both long and intricate. However, the depth found in the 18-year old is preferred. At $140, this was $40 more expensive than the 18-year old. Since both were acquired years after release, finding either is fortunate. Price will not be dwelled upon. The key takeaway is that this is a well-made whiskey. 4.25/5. Three months later, cola, plum, and white grape are now detected on the nose. This expression has become more vibrant on the nose, palate, and finish. It is remarkably smooth for its extremely high ABV—by smooth, I mean sophisticated, not muted. The score has been increased from 4.25 to 4.5.

I've seen this priced as high as $180. I managed to get it on sale for $100. Does either price point justify the purchase? This is a 61.5% ABV unpeated Caol Ila. Nose - Initially, the alcohol is quite overpowering. It smells of salted vanilla and young oak. Sweet notes are scarce. The Stitchell Reserve, which was reviewed previously, was so sweet and inviting; this one is dry and somewhat unappealing due to the alcohol presence. Adding water (ice cold) lessens the alcohol and brings out more of the salty notes and perhaps a hint of caramel... more likely sweet oak, I suspect. Taste - Oak, vanilla, and Islay's signature salted malt seem to be in conflict here. They battle each other, concluding with bitter oak notes. Water enhances the saltiness, oak spice, and an unpleasantly high level of spice. More water reduces the spice slightly, but the heat and alcohol remain. It still has a creamy texture, and that Caol Ila malt, which I'm quite fond of, is present, but everything else feels out of place, discordant, and the alcohol and wood elements are not right. This is a bold spirit. I hesitate to be overly critical, as I have experienced much better examples of unpeated whisky from this distillery. Nevertheless, this particular bottling is quite unrefined and harsh. It will likely appeal to many individuals. Therefore, I must give it a score of 1.5. Most whisky enthusiasts will not appreciate the intensity and aggressive character of this spirit. It's simply not a good representation of unpeated cask strength Caol Ila. The typical price range of $150-$180 makes this a definite skip. I paid $100, and at that price, the high ABV makes it a more justifiable indulgence. However, I am not satisfied with it, even at that reduced cost.

One of the aspects I appreciate most about Caol Ila is its blend of heather and smoke. The aroma is quite expressive. Mmmm. Smoked peaches and plantains. A captivating mix of earthy and tropical. The palate is phenolic, with prominent smoke and menthol mint. Dry citrus appears towards the end, leading to a finish rich with soot and smoke. Excellent work.

I'm a big fan of cask strength whiskies. While I usually prefer mine diluted, this is truly excellent. It's piercingly pure, intense, and well-balanced.

Pleasant fruity note, high alcohol content but not overwhelming in the mouth. Add a bit of water and it transforms into a completely new tasting experience.

Robust, intricate, sugary, caramel. Chocolate, spiced, hot, and pleasant. A really great whisky. It creates warmth in your mouth