Caol Ila 2007 - 53.8% - AD Rattray
DistilleryRegion: Islay
Date Bottled: 23.09.2021
Cask Type: Bourbon Hogshead
No. of Bottles: 278
Cask Number: 313206
Age: 14 Years Old
Date Distilled: 21.08.2007
Strength: 53.8% alc./vol.
Tasting Notes
Colour Lemon gold.
Nose Seared prawn, salt and pepper whitebait, and oily, greasy peat.
Palate Grilled grapefruit, tart apple and tobacco smoke.
Finish Walnut and ash, followed by tangy, mouthcoating orange oil.
Tasting Notes:
Appearance: Pale white wine, beads quickly before gradually falling as very slow, medium legs.
Nose: Industrial, tarry, oily, smoky, a touch of inner tube, it’s a little dirty but in a good way. Maritime, smoked fish notes appear along with a fresh, green apple and lemon zest.
Palate: Dry, ashy smoke, orange zest, barbecued meats, sharp green apple and a tangelo citrus note. A little more time in the glass gives you that coastal salinity and a flinty mineral note. Reduction with a little water brings out more of the citrus notes at the expense of some of the smoke and tar.
Finish: Long, bonfire ashes, milk chocolate orange, a little brine and chilli heat.
Summary: This is a whisky that provides everything I could want from a Caol Ila of this age. Dry, ashy smoke, slightly tarry but balanced with citrus and apple notes. Add to that a touch of coastal brine and mineral rocks and you get a whisky which manages to tread that fine line between refined complexity and the robust peat smoke more associated with younger Islay malts.
This Caol Ila makes up part of the Cask Collection and is priced at £86, which these days feels like a bit of a bargain for a single cask, 53.8% abv whisky of this quality. Unlike the Bunnahabhain 2009 Sherry Cask which I would only bring out on special occasions, this is one which I suspect will disappear far quicker. Only 278 bottles of this whisky were produced so if you like peated Islay malts, or just peated malts in general, you could do a whole lot worse than grabbing a bottle while it’s still available.
If you would like more information on AD Rattray and their range of whiskies, please visit the company website.
