Caol Ila 12YO 750ml

Caol Ila 12YO is a 12 year old peated Islay single malt Scotch whisky from the Caol Ila distillery near Port Askaig. It is bottled at 43% ABV, and this is the 750ml bottle size.

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The name is Gaelic for the Sound of Islay, the channel separating Islay from Jura, and the stillhouse windows look straight out across it. The distillery dates from 1846 and was largely rebuilt in the 1970s; its six stills give it the largest output on the island. For much of its life its whisky went into blends, so the distillery’s own single malt is a more recent arrival on shelves. Caol Ila describes the 12 year old as fresh, sweetly fruity and smooth bodied, the colour of pale straw. The smoke is there from the first sniff, but it is lighter and more coastal than the heavy, tarry style of some southern Islay malts, with fruit and citrus sitting underneath.

Pour it neat and let it rest for a minute, then add a few drops of water to bring the fruit forward. It also makes a smoky highball: ice, a measure of Caol Ila, chilled soda water and a lemon twist. Try it with fresh oysters, smoked salmon, grilled prawns or sushi. It suits anyone who wants an easy way into peated whisky, and Islay fans looking for an everyday smoky dram.