A new year has started and I hope you don’t have a hangover from last night festivities (at least not a bad one 🙂 ) so let’s welcome in the new year with a mini series of lovely high-end whiskies (you can call them posh if you want to), some are way expensive and some are still affordable – just like the one we review today: Caol Ila 25 Year Old.

It’s the revision that Caol Ila started bottling in 2010 at 43% while previous versions in 2004/5 were bottled at cask strength (if you got any of those, drop me an email!).

Caol Ila 25 (43%, £158/€187.5)

Nose: Hmm, I tend to forget how age diminish the peat impact and so the initial big fruity note caught me a bit off guard but then a gentle peat smoke joins in the background with pine, apples and sweet green melon. there may be even a bit of perfume here. with a few drops of water we also get honey.

Palate: Now the peat is prominent with smoke but the sweet side isn’t forgotten with sweet fresh fruits and dried fruits along with some sherry spices, most notable are nutmeg and cinnamon.

Finish: Dried fruits, sweet peat , wafts of smoke. Nutmeg and oak wood spices

Thoughts: A wonderful dram. mature and balanced, even if not the most complex 25 year old I’ve encountered so far. Overall it’s a recommended whisky to drink (and own) but I’m now very curious to taste the older version bottled in cask strength!