Caol Ila 15 Year Old Unpeated (Special Release 2018) Cask Strength Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)

Dollar-wise, always one of the most accessible of Diageo's Special Releases, and absent of the smokiness typically associated with the distillery. Bottled in 2018 at cask strength after maturation in first fill Bourbon casks.

Other reviews... Unpeated Caol Ila has become a staple in Diageo’s Special Releases program. This year’s expression was matured in a combination of refill and rejuvenated American oak barrels and bodega European oak butts. Fresh and spicy on the nose, with tropical fruit aromas. Creamy on the palate, with fruit-and-nut milk chocolate bars, plus notes of developing citrus. The finish is slightly earthy, with wood spices.
91 points whiskyadvocate.com, reviewed by: Gavin Smith (Winter 2018)

This from a variety of cask types, refill, rejuvenated (when are they going to do this to humans?), hogsheads, butts… Every year Diageo remind us that they’re making some ‘Highlands’ Caol Ila from time to time, that is to say some virtually unpeated CI (which I’ve often found quite peaty, bizarrely, am I oversensitive to peat?) Colour: straw. Nose: well, this time some parts remind me of neighbours Jura, others of lager bear, and others of overripe apples. The core remains kind of peaty, or sooty at least. Smoked bread dough. With water: more sweet bread dough. Not quite sure about these bottlings’ purpose – never been. Mouth (neat): pears, pineapples, IPA, sour apples, leaven, soft bread, fresh croissants… A funny one indeed. With water: young calvados from Islay, really. Finish: medium sour, on sweet bread, more overripe apples, and indeed young calvados. Comments: last year’s 18 yo was really good IMHO (WF 85), while this one’s a little less, say noticeable. Again, IMHO. What’s sure is that there’s less smoke than in earlier batches. 59.1% Alc./Vol.
82 points - whiskyfun.com