Buy Caol Ila Online 12 Year Old Single Malt Whiskey
Caol Ila 12 Year Old – Buy Online Alcohol
Caol Ila is a refined, powerful dram with a compensating oiliness. Aged for a minimum of 12 years, this whisky was rated a “Best Buy” by Wine Enthusiast and the “Best Single Malt Whisky Under 15 Years Old” at the International Wine and Spirits Competition. Buy Caol Ila Online today!
- Caol Ila 12-year-old single malt Scotch whisky is the colour of pale straw, with a delicate balance of tastes
- Fresh, sweetly fruity and smooth-bodied
- The clean, appetising nose shows subtle citrus fruit with just a puff of smoke
- Firm and smooth, it begins sweetly then yields a fragrant smokiness and a sweet-smoky, lingering finish
- 2015 Silver Outstanding Medal Winner – International Wine and Spirits Competition
- Caol Ila 12-year-old single malt Scotch whisky is the colour of pale straw, with a delicate balance of tastes
- Fresh, sweetly fruity and smooth-bodied
- The clean, appetising nose shows subtle citrus fruit with just a puff of smoke
- Firm and smooth, it begins sweetly then yields a fragrant smokiness and a sweet-smoky, lingering finish
- 2015 Silver Outstanding Medal Winner – International Wine and Spirits Competition
Product Description – Buy Caol Ila Online
Having recently been awarded Double Gold in both 2010 and 2011 at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition, Coal Ila is the ideal gift for any distinguished whisky enthusiasts. The ultimate Islay malt, Caol Ila is considered by experts to be the perfect entry point into the world of peaty malt whiskies. Unique and distinctive Islay smokiness makes Caol Ila a reference for connoisseurs of Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky the world over. Caol Ila is the Gaelic name for the Sound of Islay, which separates the island from Jura in one of the most remote and beautiful parts of Scotland’s West Coast. The distillery was founded in 1846 and is situated on the shores of the Sound, a spot originally chosen partly because of the clean water from Loch Nam Ban which still provides its main supply. Fresh, sweetly fruity and smooth-bodied, Caol Ila 12 year old single malt Scotch whisky is the colour of pale straw, with a delicate balance of tastes. The clean, appetising nose shows subtle citrus fruit with just a puff of smoke. Firm and smooth, it begins sweetly then yields a fragrant smokiness and a sweet-smoky, lingering finish. Try it with appetising, salty savoury dishes. For example, olive tapenade on French bread, or juicy warm chorizo sausage. Odd as it may sound, shortbread works well too.
How to drink?
Neat or over ice.
History
The southernmost of the Inner Hebridean Scottish Isles, the island of Islay (pronounced EYE-lah) is just 240 square miles and home to only 3,457 people. Still, the island is one of just five distilling regions in Scotland whose identity is protected by law.
Islay’s unique climate and geography impart signature characteristics to Scotch distilled and matured on the island. Despite its small size, the island boasts 130 miles of coastline, and the warm Gulf Stream from the Atlantic Ocean provides for cool winters and mild summers. In addition, the island is largely composed of peat, a phenolic compound that emits smoky aromas when burned. The salty winds and peat bogs of Islay result in Scotch that has a signature salinity and is balanced by a touch of smoke.
Nestled in a hidden cove near Port Askaig, Caol Ila Distillery (pronounced “Cull Eela,”) was founded in 1846 by Hector Henderson. It borrows its name (which means “The Sound of Islay” in ancient Gaelic) from the sea sweeping past its dramatic and almost hidden location — it is situated between a steep cliff and the eastern shores of the Sound of Islay. For over a century, small coal-fired boats known as puffers navigated the Sound and brought barley, coal and empty casks to the distillery. Although the puffers no longer exist, Caol Ila continues to distill whisky using locally malted barley, along with pure spring water sourced from Loch Nam Ban (the water travels through limestone and peat before reaching the distillery).
Once the barley has been malted and fermented, it is distilled through Caol Ila’s copper-pot stills. “The stills were designed to replicate the original stills installed in the 19th century,” says Billy Stitchell, the distillery manager (Stitchell began working at the distillery in 1974, and is the fourth generation of his family to be employed at the distillery — his father, both grandfathers and one great-grandfather all worked at Caol Ila). Unlike other distilleries on Islay (particularly Lagavulin), Caol Ila distills the wash in copper-pot stills that are less full in order to maximize copper contact. As a result, the whisky is less peaty and smoky than traditional Islay whiskies. After distillation, the whisky is aged for a minimum of twelve years in traditional oak casks.
Caol Ila 12 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky has an aroma of citrus, crushed almonds and olive oil. The body is firm yet supple, with touches of smoke, salty tang, honey, caramel and oak. The finish is smooth and slightly tart, and ends with a touch of peat.
Caol Ila 12 Year Old earned the Double Gold Medal at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition, and earned a score of 90-95 points from Wine Enthusiast, which called it a “Best Buy.” In addition, it was rated the “Best Single Malt Whisky Under 15 Years Old” at the International Wine and Spirits Competition, and was rated one of the ten best Scotch whiskies by The Independent.