Caol Ila 12 Year Old

My First review, I hope to write more as I find whiskeys that strike me as an experience worth trying to describe. I’ve enjoyed reading peoples reviews so far and they have helped be learn about what’s on the shelf at the liquor store. Also, the reviews have shown me how everyone’s perspective is different. I’m a relative new comer to Scotch, but I look forward to tasting much! Caol Ila 12yr: Nose: Granny smith apple, Bosc Pear, Medicinal, Cinnamon, Honey. Overripe fruit Basket. Spearmint Gum. Body: Oily at first, gets watery as my saliva kicks in. Looks watery as I swish it around in the glencarin glass. Light yellow in hue. Palate: Nice mild spice burn as it goes down, like good Asian cinnamon. Baked apples coming on with the cinnamon now. Apple pie, wonderful! Then a sharp note of campfire smoke that fades off quickly and is replaced by a orange pith flavored medicinal burn. The mild spiciness is clinging on as the apple pie flavor returns. Subtle sweetness and burn that makes the tip of my tongue dance, searching. The alcohol here doesn’t dominate and compliments the other flavors nicely. Smooth. I enjoyed this neat without adding water. Finish: Leaves on a burning sweet note like spicy cinnamon sugar that turns saccharin . A long finish that gives way to muted smoke and bitter medicinal flavors as the sweetness slowly fades. The smokiness for me makes an appearance earlier, but checks out before the finish. Spearmint was also detectable. This is a very smooth, balanced, and lighter whiskey that I enjoyed straight out of the bottle after opening. It needed no time to decant or mellow out after opening. I liked trying to find the smoke after I tasted it, knowing from other reviews that it was going to be smoky. The smoke though seems to get lost in the all other good flavors going on. Caol Ila 12yr has none of the petro flavors I can detect in a Ardbeg. A fairly simple Islay whiskey to contemplate with a subtle sweetness that holds everything together. Delicious!

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