🥃 Caol Ila 25 Year Old
25-year-old single malt whisky from Caol Ila on Islay, 43% ABV; Difford's Guide dates its release to 2010.
Caol Ila 25 Year Old is the oldest of the main Caol Ila releases: a 25-year-old single malt Scotch from Islay at 43% ABV. Difford's Guide calls it the first official Caol Ila bottling at 25 years old at this strength and dates its release to 2010. Whiskypedia mentions it among the distillery's main expressions.
Production. The basis is the same as across the whole range: heavily peated barley malt and double distillation. According to Whiskypedia, the single malt matures in refill casks; the sources do not specify the cask type for this expression. Difford's Guide tasters note pineapple, raisins, linseed oil, salt and pepper, and a barely perceptible peat; the taster advises against adding water, as it disturbs the balance.
Why it matters to you. This is the oldest of the main Caol Ila lines, so compare it with the 18-year-old, paying attention to the batch and the wording on the label. Older age does not mean stronger peat. Availability depends on the market. The WHO reminds us that no level of alcohol consumption is safe.
Facts
| Year founded | Caol Ila distillery: 1846; 25 Year Old: release 2010 |
|---|---|
| Legal basis | Scotch Whisky Regulations 2009 (SI 2009/2890) (Single Malt Scotch Whisky; Islay) |
| EU category | 2: whisky/whiskey |
| Raw material | heavily peated barley malt |
| Distillation method | twice, copper pot stills |
| Cask type | refill casks; the exact cask type for the 25 Year Old is not named in the sources |
| Minimum maturation | 25 years |
| Alcohol (% vol.) | 43% ABV |
How it connects to Spirits
🥃 Caol Ila 25 Year Old → packed in → 🍷 Oak barrel ← packed in ← 🥃 Spirits
Links
- Packed in
- 🍷 Oak barrel
- Made from
- 🥃 Barley and malt in whisky
- What it contains
- 🍷 Ethanol
- What it affects
- 🍷 Alcohol and health, 🍷 Drunk driving
- Part of
- 🥃 Caol Ila, 🥃 Single Malt Scotch Whisky, 🥃 Islay whisky
- Similar and different
- 🥃 Peated whisky, 🥃 Lagavulin, 🥃 Laphroaig, 🥃 Caol Ila 18 Year Old, 🥃 Caol Ila 18 Year Old, 🥃 Caol Ila Moch, 🥃 Caol Ila Moch
Frequently asked questions
Is Caol Ila 25 very smoky?
No. Difford's Guide tasters find only a barely perceptible peat in the finish; fruit and oily notes dominate.
When was it released?
In 2010, according to Difford's Guide, as the first official release of 25-year-old Caol Ila at 43% ABV.
Should water be added?
Difford's Guide taster believes water disturbs the balance; this is a subjective assessment.
What to read next
- 🍷 Alcohol and health — Alcohol in any drink is harmful in large amounts, and the risks grow with the quantity.
- 🍷 Ethanol — The alcohol formed during fermentation that makes you drunk.
- 🍷 Oak barrel — A wooden barrel of oak staves in which wine matures and breathes.
- 🥃 Peated whisky — Whisky with a smoky aroma from malt dried over a peat fire; it is a style, not a separate legal category.
- 🥃 Laphroaig — Distillery and brand of peated single malt whisky on the island of Islay, founded in 1815; it has its own malting floors and uses Islay peat smoke.
Similar
🥃 Caol Ila 12 Year Old · 🥃 Caol Ila 18 Year Old · 🥃 Caol Ila Moch · 🥃 Lagavulin 16 Year Old · 🥃 Ardmore Legacy · 🥃 Kilchoman Machir Bay
⚠️ Spirit drinks contain alcohol and are for adults only. Alcohol harms health. Do not drink during pregnancy or before driving; check the label for ingredients and possible allergens.
Sources
- Difford's Guide: Caol Ila 25 Year Old (43 %, 25 years, 2010 release, Diageo)
- Scotchwhisky.com (Whiskypedia): Caol Ila (range: Moch, 12, 18, 25; 12 Year Old, 2002, first permanent official bottling; refill casks)
- The Scotch Whisky Regulations 2009 (SI 2009/2890), reg. 3: definition and categories of Scotch Whisky (Scotland, oak up to 700 l, min. 3 years, min. 40 % ABV)
- WHO/Europe: No level of alcohol consumption is safe for our health (04.01.2023)