Caol Ila The Distillers Edition 2022 43% NV

Professional reviews

Serge Valentin (82)

Just like Lagavulin, Caol Ila DE has lost its age and vintage statements, but it's kept its finishing in 'Moscatel seasoned American oak casks'. Remember, you can't season Scotch but you may season the casks. Never loved this DE too much, peat + moscatel rather sounding like coffee + mustard to my ears, but some have been more than acceptable. Colour: pale gold. Nose: just like last time we tried a CI DE, in 2017, I'm having the impression that they haven't pushed the Moscatel too much, no bad news indeed. Having said that it is extremely soft, with touches of kelp and beach sand, plus whiffs of butter fudge and, indeed, some kind of cooked sweet wine. Mouth: a smoky and fudgey arrival, with some good salt and brine. Then some kind of drier Madeira-like wine, and indeed some sweeter moscatel. Less dissonant than I had feared. Finish: medium, first on fudge and toffee, then with a little salted liquorice. Iodine, earth and tobacco in the aftertaste. Comments: what's good is that it remained pretty 'Caol Ila'. What's more, it may be young, but Caol Ila is good when young, is it not.

BOW (87)