Caol Ila 25 Years Old 2014 43% NV

Professional reviews

Serge Valentin (88)

I liked the earlier batches very much (WF 88).

Colour: gold.

Nose: starts soft and complex, with notes of almond oil, linseed oil, soot and then citrus, a bit ala ‘old’ Coal Ila (pre-extension), which is a profile I already found in the first 25s. There’s also delicate floral notes, which is unusual (roses, old style perfume ala Jean Patou) and then more costal notes, such as ultra-fresh oysters. In short, a very delicate Caol Ila, very different from most other newish bottlings, especially by the indies.

Mouth: maybe it’s a tad lightish at the attack (please note that this is a ‘first’ dram, so no influence of a bigger previous dram) but again, it’s complex whisky, rather more on brine and plain salt this time. There’s also quite some lemon and these notes of roots that I already found in earlier versions (ginseng powder). It’s a medium bodied CI, with excellent complexity. Liquorice wood.

Finish: a tad short for Caol Ila but clean and very salty. Moderate peatiness.

Comments: the light and elegant side of the famous Islayer. I think it’s a good example of a whisky that would please wine lovers who aren’t into whisky too much.

Gal Granov (89)

Nose: This one certainly feels older: There are some lovely wood notes with oak and leather , sweet peat with vanilla and deep concentrated honey. Stewed fruit: Plum and pear. Demerara sugar The nose is indeed warm and reassuring. May bot be the most complex of noses, but It’s certainly good.

Palate: Starting sweet. Honey and spice. Giving way to some big peaty notes, to be honest I was expecting the peat to be more subdued than it really is. Seaweed and salt with sweet smoke. It’s a sort of coastal peat – an Islay for sure. Then getting woodier with Polish and dry oak. Pepper and plum.

Finish : Peat pepper, and spice. lingering smoke and sweet distant plums.


A very nice Coal Ila indeed. But lacking the exotic fruit notes of older CI I’ve come to like. If we’re talking about wood, it certainly has some, but it’s not the kind of lovely wood you get from a Bunnahabhain 25 for example. Yes, I know the peat is balancing it out, but still. This is rather balanced, and although the peat is stronger than I anticipated, It’s not overpowering the other aromas and flavors. A worthy 25 year old, at a good price (relatively)

BOW (89)