Caol Ila 12 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky

Name: Caol Ila 12 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Brand: Caol Ila
SKU: 4078
Price: 78.99 USD
Availability: InStock
Rating: 4.85 (2 reviews)

$78.99

Rating:

97%

4.9

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Size750mL Proof86 (43% ABV) *Please note that the ABV of this bottle may vary

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.

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Availability & Returns

This product is available in: AZ, CA, CO, CT, DC, FL, GA, ID, IL, IN, IA, KS, KY, LA, ME, MD, MA, MI, MN, MO, MT, NE, NV, NH, NJ, NM, NY, NC, ND, OH, OK, OR, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, VT, WA, WI, WY Unfortunately, we can't ship to PO Boxes and APO addresses.

Note: This product is not eligible for gift wrapping.

Note: Once an order has been safely & successfully delivered, we do not accept returns due to change of heart or taste. Due to state regulations, we cannot accept the return of alcohol purchased by a customer in error.

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The Story

About Caol Ila 12 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky

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.

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About Caol Ila

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. Together, the salty winds and peat bogs of Islay result in Scotch whisky 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 casks to the distillery. Although the puffers no longer exist, Caol Ila continues to use locally malted barley and pure spring water sourced from Loch Nam Ban (the water travels through limestone and peat before reaching the distillery).

Caol Ila Stitchell Reserve Single Malt Scotch Whisky was crafted in homage to Billy Stitchell, Caol Ila's Distillery Manager. Stitchell is the fourth generation of his family to work at Caol Ila, and has been working at the distillery for nearly four decades. "We really felt, and by coincidence, not design, it was simply a great opportunity to acknowledge the fact that Billy has been at Caol Ila for almost 40 years," says Dr. Nick Morgan of Diageo.

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About Scotch

Scotch is the most popular whisky in the world and is considered the king of them all! There are five whisky regions in Scotland (six if you count the not officially recognized Islands), and each of them produces spirits with unique properties and distinct tasting notes. (The type of grain used determents the type of the scotch.)

Malt whisky is made of malted barley, and grain whisky uses other grains like corn or wheat. Most of the time, a whisky is blended from different distilleries hence the name blended scotch, but if a malt whisky is produced in a single distillery, we get something extraordinary called a single malt.

Check out our impressive selection of scotch whiskies, find your new favorite in the Top 10 scotch whiskies, or explore our treasury of rare & hard to find scotch whiskies.

Tasting Notes

Aroma of citrus, crushed almonds and olive oil. Body is firm yet supple, with touches of smoke, salty tang, honey, caramel and oak. Finish is smooth and slightly tart, and ends with a touch of peat.

Reviews 2

4.9 out of 5

(2 reviews)