I reviewed a 12 yo sherried Caol Ila last month. Here now is a much older one. While the 12 yo—bottled for Feis Ile in 2017—had been double-matured in sherry casks (in casks that had previously been used to make the Talisker Distiller’s Edition), this one came out of a single sherry butt. It was distilled in 1983 and bottled in 2013 by the Italian indie, Wilson & Morgan (yes, it’s not a very Italian name). I quite liked the only other Caol Ila I’ve had from Wilson & Morgan, but that was much younger and from a second-fill bourbon cask (this 16 yo). Indeed, I’ve generally liked almost all the Wilson & Morgan releases I’ve tried (not very many). And I can tell you—spoiler alert—that I quite like this one too. I opened this bottle, which I’ve had sitting on a shelf for a long time now, a few days ago and have been dipping into it ever since. These notes are being taken from the fourth pour from the bottle. The bottle was more than a bit hot when opened and I am hopeful that it may have mellowed a bit. Let’s see.
Caol Ila 30, 1983 (57.5%; Wilson & Morgan; sherry butt #1096; from my own bottle)
Nose: Mineral peat with some lemon and some shoe polish mixed in. Salt crystals as it sits and just a bit of ham cure (not much sign of the sherry beyond that). With time some camphor and the lemon turns towards citronella. With more time still there’s a touch of cream (smoked cream). With water there’s more of the shoe polish and also more of the cream.
Palate: Comes in sweeter than on the nose but otherwise as indicated by it. Approachable but still pretty hot at full strength; decent texture. More lemon on subsequent sips and more salt. The smoke expands with time (a mix of char and phenols). With a few drops of water it mellows out nicely and everything comes together.
Finish: Long. Some ash now in the smoke; the salt joins it for the last word. With water there’s more lemon and some cracked pepper pops out late.
Comments: Not a sherry bomb; indeed, barely palpably sherried. It’s a bit more in-your-face than most of the older Caol Ilas I’ve had (not that I’ve had so very many). I’m curious to see if there will be greater complexity as it mellows in the bottle. I will report back either way. As it is now, it stops just short of the next tier.
Rating: 89 points.