Caol Ila 12 year old 1999 Unpeated
Review by Caol Ila
- Colour
Yellow gold. Light beading
- Nose
Quiet, approachable. Mild nose-feel, in spite of its strength. A sweet and fruity aroma: fondant and green apples. Hints of pear-drops with sweet and sour notes. No discernable smoke, but just a trace of Virginia tobacco; then the faintest olive brine tang in a room full of creamy vanilla toffee. Dusty cereals, then mint toffee followed by more vanilla and ripe fruit. Soft, fresh and fruity with water: buttery apple pie, now with a hint of breakfast cereal
- Palate
At natural strength, the taste is sweet, the texture smooth and light; it’s warming, but not burning, as might be expected. By turns suddenly drying, with burnt fruit cake and complex, fruity chocolate; then richer and honeyed, with lemon curd on buttered toast. Smooth at reduced strength, with reduced sweetness, light acidity and a shake of salt, lending a maritime character. Initially cool; soon hotter, with silky tannins, before chilling again with mango and cream
- Finish
Creamy and oaky; sweet milk chocolate, then burnt fruit. Hugely elegant with water and astonishingly clean.
- Note
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Deceptively complex, at first hiding all that characteristic CaolIla freshness and vigour under a smooth exterior. Masses of oaky, cocoa character and fruit tartness soon show that peat smoke isn’t everything!