DescriptionIslay Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Bottled by: Berry Bros & Rudd 70cl / 55.7%
There's been a spate of 2009 and 2010 Caol Ilas coming through from the indie bottlers this year and they've all been excellent, so when our posh friends Berry Bros & Rudd get in on the action any Islay whisky fans should get excited.
This is a 12-year-old Caol Ila 2009, bottled from a single hogshead 318772 by Berry Bros, yielding 311 bottles at its natural cask strength of 55.7% and we'd be very surprised if it was anything less than terrific. The 2009 Caol Ilas we've already tasted have been absolutely classic Caol Ila in style, with lashings of peat and saline, and a little balancing sweetness from the wood.
Nose: The nose is initially deceptively gentle, offering icing sugar and a slight earthy smoke, though time in the glass crescendos the coastal peat showing muscular phenolic character.
Palate: The palate gives more notes of peat smoke along with damp wool, icing sugar, slight floral notes, and more peat smoke!
Finish: The finish is unmistakably coastal fading slowly with flavours of kippers, tar and yet more smoke.
“Caol Ila is a ‘must-visit’ distillery if you go to Islay not only, of course, for the legendary dram but, almost as importantly, it has the best still-house view of any distillery in Scotland. In this case it looks out over the Sound of Jura and the tidal rush. I promise you won’t regret it even if it’s raining... which is not unusual...”
Pre-Owned Stock
At Whisky-Online we are specialists in old and rare bottles of whisky from days gone by. We are constantly picking up new stock of vintage bottles from various sources and private sales. All the pre-owned bottles on our site are vetted very carefully for authenticity by our team before they reach our website so that our customers can continue to buy with confidence. If we have the slightest doubts about a bottle’s provenance or authenticity we don’t list it, simple as that.
Please bear in mind stock that has been assigned as pre-owned is not in brand new mint condition. As pre-owned bottles will have been subject to natural wear and tear over the years, we strongly advise customers to check carefully the website images to assess the condition of individual bottles prior to purchase.
All stock assigned by us as pre-owned is sold as seen. Our website images of these old and rare whiskies are fair but not comprehensive representations and some flaws may not be visible in these images. It is important, therefore, to contact us for more images or further information before ordering if you have any specific questions or requirements about particular items.
Due to the varying ages and conditions of bottles, labels, corks and their seals, their safe transport without further damage or deterioration is not guaranteed and we recommend that these items are collected in person. If collection is not an option and buyers choose to have pre-owned items delivered we cannot accept responsibility for deterioration to these items during transit.
Please be aware that because of the varying conditions mentioned above there is a risk of seal failure during transit and that we cannot accept responsibility for any bottle leakage that occurs in this way.
Pre-Owned & New Stock
Seal and cork failure are two of the more common issues affecting older pre-owned bottles, but they can occur in new bottles as well. Cork is a naturally porous material and contains irregular air pockets that may compromise the integrity of the closure.
Over long periods of time corks can dry out and shrink, increasing the chances of cork failure and subsequent leakage. However, it is still strongly recommended to store bottles upright at all times, as keeping whisky bottles on their sides can damage the cork and increase the chances of leakage or failure.
When you open a bottle with a cork stopper - no matter how carefully - there is always a chance that the cork may break, particularly for older bottles. We recommend keeping a stock of spare corks in different sizes in case a replacement cork is needed.
We are unable to accept responsibility for the following circumstances affecting either new or pre-owned goods:
- Wear and tear, rust, stains, foxing or any other cosmetic damage to labels, boxes or other packaging where the customer has not requested extra images prior to purchase
- Deterioration to labels/packaging in transit
- Seal failure, cork failure and/or leakage in transit or at any subsequent time after delivery
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