Caol Ila 1982 35 YO (Special Releases 2018)

Caol Ila 1982 35 YO (Special Releases 2018), 58.1 %

Preparing for the Special Releases 2021 from Diageo by reviewing a couple of older releases that I’ve missed reviewing for various reasons.

First we have the Caol Ila 1982 35 YO (Special Releases 2018). Distilled 1982 and bottled 2018-08-16. It was matured in a mix of refill American hogsheads and European oak butts. The release was limited to 3276 bottles in total.

Nose: Dry wood smoke. Cold ashes. Peppery dust. Vanilla and sweet aniseed. A mild alcohol bite here for the first few minutes. More licorice with time, with a touch of green herbs. Tobacco leaves and leather.

Taste: Creamy and full bodied. Peppery ashes. Vanilla soot. Dry wood smoke. Ripe, red apples. Caramel sauce. Salty driftwood. Sea sprayed beach sand. Ever greener, sip by sip. Menthol and hints of camphor.

Finish: Long finish. Drier now. Still sweet though. More cold ashes and soot than smoky and peaty by now. Caramel, vanilla, citrus, and hints of green herbs. Hint of mint in the end.

Comment: Complex and refined!

Score 91/100

Sláinte!
-Thomas