Just bought one in 2022, it is still a very fine and an often overlooked islay malt. The newer ones don't need water anymore, just drink them as they are. So they changed over time, not as intense but still superbly balanced and rich.
It's funny that when whisky reviewers use words like "disinfectant, hospital, and medicine" or even "rubber and leather" most people would think GROSS!! but when actual whisky drinkers like us hear it we're like YES! sounds delicious! lol I really love Islay :)
If you like Tasliker 10 and would like to up the peat levels, but can't stand Laphroaig 10 because it's too peaty, try this one out. It's right in the middle, plenty of citrus, fruits, vanilla and sweetness with a strong peat punch. Terrific dram.
@@siddeshbandekar1913 Ardbeg 10 and Caol Ila are more similar in smokiness than Talisker. I guess Ardbeg 10 is more sweet+smoke imho while Caol Ila is more of a bbq smoke with some more tang and seaweed and some sweetness as well. You should try all three but if you'd like an order myb Talisker -> Ardbeg 10 -> Caol Ila 12
@@groberti haha cool so I'm in between as I tried only Ardbeg 10 and loved it 👍 Price wise which is more Coal lla or Talisker 10 Bec Ardbeg 10 price is same as Talisker and I guess port Charlotte wins over Coal lla taste wise ..price wise not sure Where does lagavulin 16 stand in comparison to all of these
The first thing I notice is not bonfire, firewood around here smells very differently much more ashy and floral, but it does remind, strikingly so of another smoked good: Latakia. That is Syrian smoked oriental tobacco, key ingredient of some pipe blends. Wonderful smell and very nostalgic to me. Rest of the review was quite spot-on, maybe not so much the lime, more like those nice higher alcohols and a detectable but on the background maltyness. Maybe a bit more of maritime notes and saltiness would've made it perfect, but it good.
Finally found a bottle in salt lake. Picked up and loving it. So easy to drink for an lslay. Ardbeg 10 is my all time favorite This is a nice change of pace, but retaining the best characteristics.
I just enjoyed a nice dram of this same bottling. I thought it was great, but I'm starting to wonder if my palate simply wants the smoke, which is much less present in Caol Ila versus Laphroaig. Either way, the fruit notes in Caol Ila are balanced nicely with the "cleaning liquids". If you see a bottle, spend the $60. Especially if you like the Islay branch of single malts.
Just had a glass of this! All I can say goodbye Laphroaig 10YO! At the moment its the nicest peated whiskies I have ever tried, and believe me I have tried quite few and even more expensive ones... The peat level is perfect for my taste, the after taste is smooth and lasts very nicely. The whole drink is very well balanced and rounded! You realy get more than you pay, at least here in Lithunia! Regular price now is 39eu for a bottle! Actually when I think this through again, i think for now it's my number one whisky! So stoked right now...
Comparing to ardbeg 10 and laphroaig, Caol ila is more elegant and dense. I still love ardbeg but I will go for coryverkan for more smokiness. Caol 12 just become my daily peated one. Can't live without a bottle of it. Dang it
Just getting into scotch...I really appreciate these video reviews as I have a fancy whiskey tasting coming up and am going to steal some of your etiquette / vocabulary. . My favorite so far is Laphroaig...good thing by it's the most reasonably price...I think the smokiness/peatiness of Laphroaig helps mask the alcohol burn so it was a good beginner scotch for me (some of my friends/family hate it though). Anyway....I've been trying more Islays ...I agree with the reviewer that said compared to Laphroaig ...Coal Ila 12 is more fruity...less medicinal...slightly less smokey.. All I smell is pear when nosing it....definitely a smoky on the tounge and a spicy finish. Anyway...sorry for being long winded...again...I appreciate the time you take and effort in your reviews. All the best!
+Ross Taylor Caol Ila is a great Single Malt! One of my favorites. Have you ever tried Lagavulin 16? If not I would recommend it based on your adoration of Caol Ila. It is hands down the best whisky Ive ever tasted. Im never without a bottle.
+Xx..Irie..xX I'd say try Talisker 10 first, budget wise. I found Lag' 16 and Talisker 10 very close, the former being 40$ more expensive around here. Then again, I'm saving an inch of Lag' 16 to have a head to head when I open another Talisker 10 to see if they really are that similar.
I actually poured myself a dram while watching this. I watched Ralfy's review first but to be honest, I didn't get basically any of those notes that he got. This review though is more along the line of what I'm experiencing myself. The whisky is very fruity, although I cannot say what that aroma is that is almost the dominating scent/flavour for me. It's familiar. Maybe it's some kind of pear.. or apple. But not the kind of apple that I'm more used to. Or maybe not even a real apple but closer to what you'd get if you buy apple flavoured candies.Maybe I'm so used to smoked food that I don't even get so much smoke anymore from this whisky. Not at first. But it's there in the finish, which is long. That peat smoke will remain in my mouth and throat for hours. First few drams out of the bottle were very, very different. Even though I let the whisky breath in a glass for a long time, it just didn't open up. It was very heavily smoky, salty, bitter, sour.. Not fruity. Mouthfeel is good and the whisky is in balance, it's working. But personally I prefer something like Talisker or Kilchoman. Bunnahabhain's Moine was a nice affordable smoky whisky too.
This is one of my favorite whiskies I have ever had. I just picked a bottle of this is up and wow that bonfire after taste and holy crap that weird hospital/dentist smell that I remember as a child! Mostly dentist. When you nose it after you finished the glass it's like a bonfire orgasm.
A very good single malt, but a bit overpriced in my area. $60US vs $40 for Laphroaig 10y. Honestly I prefer the Laphroaig; Caol Ila just seems like too much of a compromise.
@@SaltyCuban They really are for both whiskies, but inflation... in my local market Caol Ila and Laphroaig 10 are both 50-55 USD. I don't find Laphroaigh 10 to be that extraordinary. I think it is good but a single note whisky, only smoke. Laphroaig Quarter Cask is better
Let me tell you something man. I’ve drank this stuff often and heard reviewers and friends alike pronouncing it COOL EYE-Luh. I was prepared to die on this hill but in a bit of research I’m just totally wrong here. Cheers for setting me straight fella. I don’t have a box of this anymore but I really thought it was pronounced differently. Again, thanks.
In Donegal Gaelic, the closest Irish dialect to Islay, it’s pronounced K(y)eel-ila. In fact, Donegal Gaelic is more intelligible with Scottish Gaelic compared to more Southern dialects in Ireland, Kerry for example.
spagetti001 but your pronunciation of “cull eela” is exactly what he was saying. I sing caol Ila to rhyme with tequila as in the song ‘she drink tequila, it make her happy’
I'm drinking this right now. And if you've had the Lagavulin 16, this will be close to it, except not as deep flavored and impactful. It IS smooth though... you do get a deep, almost mesquite BBQ on the nose and a smooth, sweet and smokeyness on the palate. I think this has a better value than the Laga 16, being 20-30 bucks cheaper for the same smokey, elegant characteristic you get from the Laga. I am thoroughly enjoying this right now. It's a damn fine whisky. I have the Laphroaig Quarter Cask too, and I like it, but it doesn't compare to the Caol Ila. At least, imho.
Am I broken or does the Caol Ila 12yo pack more of a punch than Laphroaig 10yo in some ways? O_o Especially on the tongue, that is. Nose maybe not so much.
I want to get into the smoky whiskys world, so I would like to know which one would you pick between the ardbeg 10 and this bottle. I would really appreciate your opinion. thanks in advance.
Both are pretty good. I'd go with the Ardbeg 10, since it reminds me of a Laphroaig too, where as this one is a bit more fruity and vanilla than smoke and ash.
The Ardbeg is amazing in terms of complexity, including a variety of delightful flavors. It also manages to be peaty without being phenolic. Now, I just bought a bottle of Caol Ila last week and love the stuff. Bought my first bottle in Edinburgh in 2004. Was delighted to get reaquainted. Very nice smoky whisky, bright fruity notes, not overpowering as one might find, say, Laphroag (which I also love). But having done a lot of tasting, I don't find anything quite as interesting and wonderful as Ardbeg.
Sar i am from India but i do not spick english caolila 12 year did not unestend about sar Hindi chenal Wisky Brand in schoch Leand i am Weting your hindi chenal Sow i am Wach...
One of my favorites. I would agree with the summary "close to perfect"
Just bought one in 2022, it is still a very fine and an often overlooked islay malt. The newer ones don't need water anymore, just drink them as they are. So they changed over time, not as intense but still superbly balanced and rich.
Just drinking it right now :) Doesn't need water, still great!
It's funny that when whisky reviewers use words like "disinfectant, hospital, and medicine" or even "rubber and leather" most people would think GROSS!! but when actual whisky drinkers like us hear it we're like YES! sounds delicious! lol I really love Islay :)
This!
If you like Tasliker 10 and would like to up the peat levels, but can't stand Laphroaig 10 because it's too peaty, try this one out. It's right in the middle, plenty of citrus, fruits, vanilla and sweetness with a strong peat punch. Terrific dram.
it doesn't quite have that weird fishy seaweed thing the talisker has though :)
@@dachhh yep! I do that Talisker is better
Hi Talisker or Ardbeg 10?
Co Lila or Ardbeg?
@@siddeshbandekar1913 Ardbeg 10 and Caol Ila are more similar in smokiness than Talisker. I guess Ardbeg 10 is more sweet+smoke imho while Caol Ila is more of a bbq smoke with some more tang and seaweed and some sweetness as well. You should try all three but if you'd like an order myb Talisker -> Ardbeg 10 -> Caol Ila 12
@@groberti haha cool so I'm in between as I tried only Ardbeg 10 and loved it 👍
Price wise which is more Coal lla or Talisker 10 Bec Ardbeg 10 price is same as Talisker and I guess port Charlotte wins over Coal lla taste wise ..price wise not sure
Where does lagavulin 16 stand in comparison to all of these
I can't believe that this clip has only 39,000 hits. Such inspirational guidance for enjoying whisky to the fullest.
The first thing I notice is not bonfire, firewood around here smells very differently much more ashy and floral, but it does remind, strikingly so of another smoked good: Latakia. That is Syrian smoked oriental tobacco, key ingredient of some pipe blends. Wonderful smell and very nostalgic to me. Rest of the review was quite spot-on, maybe not so much the lime, more like those nice higher alcohols and a detectable but on the background maltyness. Maybe a bit more of maritime notes and saltiness would've made it perfect, but it good.
Caol Illa 12, my favorite single malt. I enjoy all the Johnie Walkers so I bought a bottle of this. Love it°°°
Anytime he says "a distant sea", I am in!
Caol Ila 12 is a beautifully light and sweet Islay. It's great for the warmer months.
Finally found a bottle in salt lake. Picked up and loving it. So easy to drink for an lslay. Ardbeg 10 is my all time favorite This is a nice change of pace, but retaining the best characteristics.
I just enjoyed a nice dram of this same bottling. I thought it was great, but I'm starting to wonder if my palate simply wants the smoke, which is much less present in Caol Ila versus Laphroaig. Either way, the fruit notes in Caol Ila are balanced nicely with the "cleaning liquids". If you see a bottle, spend the $60. Especially if you like the Islay branch of single malts.
Just had a glass of this! All I can say goodbye Laphroaig 10YO! At the moment its the nicest peated whiskies I have ever tried, and believe me I have tried quite few and even more expensive ones... The peat level is perfect for my taste, the after taste is smooth and lasts very nicely. The whole drink is very well balanced and rounded! You realy get more than you pay, at least here in Lithunia! Regular price now is 39eu for a bottle! Actually when I think this through again, i think for now it's my number one whisky! So stoked right now...
Can I ask where did you buy it? Vynoteka?
Comparing to ardbeg 10 and laphroaig, Caol ila is more elegant and dense. I still love ardbeg but I will go for coryverkan for more smokiness. Caol 12 just become my daily peated one. Can't live without a bottle of it. Dang it
Just getting into scotch...I really appreciate these video reviews as I have a fancy whiskey tasting coming up and am going to steal some of your etiquette / vocabulary. . My favorite so far is Laphroaig...good thing by it's the most reasonably price...I think the smokiness/peatiness of Laphroaig helps mask the alcohol burn so it was a good beginner scotch for me (some of my friends/family hate it though). Anyway....I've been trying more Islays ...I agree with the reviewer that said compared to Laphroaig ...Coal Ila 12 is more fruity...less medicinal...slightly less smokey.. All I smell is pear when nosing it....definitely a smoky on the tounge and a spicy finish. Anyway...sorry for being long winded...again...I appreciate the time you take and effort in your reviews. All the best!
Watched this and went out and bought a bottle, one of the nicest whiskies I have ever tasted. Really enjoy your channel. Excellent reviews.
+Ross Taylor Caol Ila is a great Single Malt! One of my favorites. Have you ever tried Lagavulin 16? If not I would recommend it based on your adoration of Caol Ila. It is hands down the best whisky Ive ever tasted. Im never without a bottle.
+Xx..Irie..xX
I'd say try Talisker 10 first, budget wise. I found Lag' 16 and Talisker 10 very close, the former being 40$ more expensive around here. Then again, I'm saving an inch of Lag' 16 to have a head to head when I open another Talisker 10 to see if they really are that similar.
@@francisd2386 Interesting! I don't think that Talisker 10 and Lagavulin 16 are that similar actually 😁
One of the best peaty whisky great review...
I have a bottle of this. It's an elegant expression of a peated whisky
Great review - agree 100%. This is a well balanced Islay malt, brilliant.
should have gone for this over talisker 10. Talisker was so peppery and light on peat. I like the opposite, perfer more peat, less spicy and phenolic.
Your channel is very helpful, thank you for the great work you're putting in!
Thank you for a great review Horst. Really enjoyed it, and I will definitely try this whiskey.
I thank you.
I actually poured myself a dram while watching this. I watched Ralfy's review first but to be honest, I didn't get basically any of those notes that he got. This review though is more along the line of what I'm experiencing myself. The whisky is very fruity, although I cannot say what that aroma is that is almost the dominating scent/flavour for me. It's familiar. Maybe it's some kind of pear.. or apple. But not the kind of apple that I'm more used to. Or maybe not even a real apple but closer to what you'd get if you buy apple flavoured candies.Maybe I'm so used to smoked food that I don't even get so much smoke anymore from this whisky. Not at first. But it's there in the finish, which is long. That peat smoke will remain in my mouth and throat for hours.
First few drams out of the bottle were very, very different. Even though I let the whisky breath in a glass for a long time, it just didn't open up. It was very heavily smoky, salty, bitter, sour.. Not fruity.
Mouthfeel is good and the whisky is in balance, it's working. But personally I prefer something like Talisker or Kilchoman. Bunnahabhain's Moine was a nice affordable smoky whisky too.
me to i olso poor my self a dram i got this bottle but i just poor my self a abelour 12 years double cask
Thank you horst, really enjoyed your tasting review of this single malt. I must buy one to sample myself
Great review as always Horst. I keep a list of whisk(e)y I want to buy. Had some time and cash today so picked a bottle up. Big fan.
This is an intense whisky... the flavor just lingers and gets better after the burn.... very sexy sips are required.
This is one of my favorite whiskies I have ever had. I just picked a bottle of this is up and wow that bonfire after taste and holy crap that weird hospital/dentist smell that I remember as a child! Mostly dentist. When you nose it after you finished the glass it's like a bonfire orgasm.
empty glass reminds me of popcorn :)
Hahah bonfire orgasm. Great!!
WONDERFUL sauce.
🥃
One of my favourites :)
A very good single malt, but a bit overpriced in my area. $60US vs $40 for Laphroaig 10y. Honestly I prefer the Laphroaig; Caol Ila just seems like too much of a compromise.
Laphroaig 10 is THE best :)
Those prices sound pretty good about now. Laphroaig 10 is now @$50-55 and Caol Ila is @$75-80. These prices are ridiculous.
@@SaltyCuban They really are for both whiskies, but inflation... in my local market Caol Ila and Laphroaig 10 are both 50-55 USD. I don't find Laphroaigh 10 to be that extraordinary. I think it is good but a single note whisky, only smoke. Laphroaig Quarter Cask is better
@@SaltyCubanThat does sound good! I live on an island, and after taxes Laphroaig 10 is $105, and Caol Ila 12 is $120…insane.
Indeed close to perfect
Can watch Horst for hours
YOU ARE ULTIMATE BOSS OF WHISKY WORLD. I SALUTE YOU.
This guy is likeable
Cool Islay
it's pronounced "cull eela"
That is simply not the case. He pronounced it perfectly.
@@mrsturmtastic The pronunciation is defined in the box - so it simply IS the case. Not that it matters, but you're incorrect.
Let me tell you something man. I’ve drank this stuff often and heard reviewers and friends alike pronouncing it COOL EYE-Luh. I was prepared to die on this hill but in a bit of research I’m just totally wrong here. Cheers for setting me straight fella. I don’t have a box of this anymore but I really thought it was pronounced differently. Again, thanks.
In Donegal Gaelic, the closest Irish dialect to Islay, it’s pronounced K(y)eel-ila. In fact, Donegal Gaelic is more intelligible with Scottish Gaelic compared to more Southern dialects in Ireland, Kerry for example.
spagetti001 but your pronunciation of “cull eela” is exactly what he was saying.
I sing caol Ila to rhyme with tequila as in the song ‘she drink tequila, it make her happy’
Is Caol Ila as smooth as a Laphroaig or Lagavulin?
I'm drinking this right now. And if you've had the Lagavulin 16, this will be close to it, except not as deep flavored and impactful. It IS smooth though... you do get a deep, almost mesquite BBQ on the nose and a smooth, sweet and smokeyness on the palate. I think this has a better value than the Laga 16, being 20-30 bucks cheaper for the same smokey, elegant characteristic you get from the Laga. I am thoroughly enjoying this right now. It's a damn fine whisky.
I have the Laphroaig Quarter Cask too, and I like it, but it doesn't compare to the Caol Ila. At least, imho.
Smoother
Am I broken or does the Caol Ila 12yo pack more of a punch than Laphroaig 10yo in some ways? O_o
Especially on the tongue, that is. Nose maybe not so much.
You're broken.
I want to get into the smoky whiskys world, so I would like to know which one would you pick between the ardbeg 10 and this bottle. I would really appreciate your opinion. thanks in advance.
Both are pretty good. I'd go with the Ardbeg 10, since it reminds me of a Laphroaig too, where as this one is a bit more fruity and vanilla than smoke and ash.
The Ardbeg is amazing in terms of complexity, including a variety of delightful flavors. It also manages to be peaty without being phenolic. Now, I just bought a bottle of Caol Ila last week and love the stuff. Bought my first bottle in Edinburgh in 2004. Was delighted to get reaquainted. Very nice smoky whisky, bright fruity notes, not overpowering as one might find, say, Laphroag (which I also love). But having done a lot of tasting, I don't find anything quite as interesting and wonderful as Ardbeg.
Cool Ila hahaha !
where can I find sample bottles? I live in the states
don't like the sound of the disinfectant
It's kull-lee-la
The Master Taster. Ok. How many tasters do you have? I guess at least 10, otherwise no Master Taster is needed.
Sar i am from India but i do not spick english caolila 12 year did not unestend about sar Hindi chenal Wisky Brand in schoch Leand i am Weting your hindi chenal Sow i am Wach...