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caol ila 1995 maltbarn (featured)

Caol Ila 1995/2014 Maltbarn

4 December 2014 0 comments Article Caol Ila, Islay, Scotland, Tasting Notes

So far only really old Caol Ila has managed to truly impress me. That’s not to say that the one I’m reviewing today is very young. At 19 years of age this Caol Ila is already legal and just shy of entering its second decade. Certainly old enough to transform a young spirit into a mature and well-rounded whisky. Add to that the excellent reputation of indie bottler Maltbarn. This is an exciting release.

Caol ila 1995 Maltbarn

Caol Ila 1995/2014 (52,8%, Maltbarn, 226 bts.)

Nose: Very clean and fresh with subtle peat and wood smoke. Some freshly cut apples, vanilla, banana and orange make this very pleasant indeed. Some farmy notes and a bit of seaside saltiness balance out the nose.
Taste: Smooth, oily and peaty. Some wood influences make it a bit dry, but never too much. Some herbs including aniseed and mint. Also cloves, lemon and vanilla. Not overly complex, but never boring.
Finish: Long, ashy and lemony.

Rating: 87

A very good and enjoyable Caol Ila. If I’d be nitpicking, then I’d say that it lacks a little bit of depth.

Thijs Klaverstijn Kingairloch 3
Thijs Klaverstijn

Thijs is a spirits writer and accredited liquorist from The Netherlands. He runs the blog Words of Whisky and contributes to a number of Dutch and international publications.

Tags: 1995, caol ila, cask strength, islay, maltbarn

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Words of Whisky is the blog of Thijs Klaverstijn, a freelance writer and journalist from Twente, a region in the east of The Netherlands. He's been drinking whisky for quite some time now, but a visit to Scotland in the summer of 2013 has turned his love for whisky into somewhat of an obsession. This blog serves as an outlet for that obsession.

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