Black Friday 2022 (Caol Ila) 16 Year Old Islay Whisky

Rafael Santos — Great sipper for peat lovers

8/10

Picked this up as a treat and I've been rationing it ever since. The smoke is more refined than younger Caol Ila bottlings, with a nice waxy quality and hints of smoked fish and iodine. I drink it neat despite the 53.2% — it carries the ABV well for a 16-year-old. Would recommend to anyone who likes their Islay malts with some age on them.

Tariq Hassan — Great sipper for peat lovers

8/10

Picked this up as a treat and I've been rationing it ever since. The smoke is more refined than younger Caol Ila bottlings, with a nice waxy quality and hints of smoked fish and iodine. I drink it neat despite the 53.2% — it carries the ABV well for a 16-year-old. Would recommend to anyone who likes their Islay malts with some age on them.

Jorge Castillo — Great sipper for peat lovers

8/10

Picked this up as a treat and I've been rationing it ever since. The smoke is more refined than younger Caol Ila bottlings, with a nice waxy quality and hints of smoked fish and iodine. I drink it neat despite the 53.2% — it carries the ABV well for a 16-year-old. Would recommend to anyone who likes their Islay malts with some age on them.

Ingrid Holm — Punches well above typical Caol Ila

8/10

I usually think of Caol Ila as a solid workhorse malt, but this Black Friday release is a step up. The extra years have added real depth — there's dried apricot and beeswax alongside the trademark smoke and brine. Had it neat and with a single ice cube, preferred it neat. At £96 it sits right in that sweet spot where you don't feel guilty pouring a Tuesday night dram.

Isla McCallister — Punches well above typical Caol Ila

8/10

I usually think of Caol Ila as a solid workhorse malt, but this Black Friday release is a step up. The extra years have added real depth — there's dried apricot and beeswax alongside the trademark smoke and brine. Had it neat and with a single ice cube, preferred it neat. At £96 it sits right in that sweet spot where you don't feel guilty pouring a Tuesday night dram.

Astrid Nilsen — Punches well above typical Caol Ila

8/10

I usually think of Caol Ila as a solid workhorse malt, but this Black Friday release is a step up. The extra years have added real depth — there's dried apricot and beeswax alongside the trademark smoke and brine. Had it neat and with a single ice cube, preferred it neat. At £96 it sits right in that sweet spot where you don't feel guilty pouring a Tuesday night dram.

Yuki Nakamura — Great sipper for peat lovers

8/10

Picked this up as a treat and I've been rationing it ever since. The smoke is more refined than younger Caol Ila bottlings, with a nice waxy quality and hints of smoked fish and iodine. I drink it neat despite the 53.2% — it carries the ABV well for a 16-year-old. Would recommend to anyone who likes their Islay malts with some age on them.

Ravi Krishnan — Great sipper for peat lovers

8/10

Picked this up as a treat and I've been rationing it ever since. The smoke is more refined than younger Caol Ila bottlings, with a nice waxy quality and hints of smoked fish and iodine. I drink it neat despite the 53.2% — it carries the ABV well for a 16-year-old. Would recommend to anyone who likes their Islay malts with some age on them.

Nia Okafor — Punches well above typical Caol Ila

8/10

I usually think of Caol Ila as a solid workhorse malt, but this Black Friday release is a step up. The extra years have added real depth — there's dried apricot and beeswax alongside the trademark smoke and brine. Had it neat and with a single ice cube, preferred it neat. At £96 it sits right in that sweet spot where you don't feel guilty pouring a Tuesday night dram.

Sophie Brennan — Punches well above typical Caol Ila

8/10

I usually think of Caol Ila as a solid workhorse malt, but this Black Friday release is a step up. The extra years have added real depth — there's dried apricot and beeswax alongside the trademark smoke and brine. Had it neat and with a single ice cube, preferred it neat. At £96 it sits right in that sweet spot where you don't feel guilty pouring a Tuesday night dram.

Luciano Bianchi — Solid but not a showstopper

7/10

I grabbed this on the Black Friday release expecting something special, and it's good but maybe not £96 good. Classic Caol Ila coastal smoke and oily texture, with some dried fruit and vanilla from the aging. I prefer it with a splash of water — neat at 53.2% it's a bit of a brute.

Farah Abboud — Solid but not a showstopper

7/10

I grabbed this on the Black Friday release expecting something special, and it's good but maybe not £96 good. Classic Caol Ila coastal smoke and oily texture, with some dried fruit and vanilla from the aging. I prefer it with a splash of water — neat at 53.2% it's a bit of a brute.

Jake Morrison — Solid but not a showstopper

7/10

I grabbed this on the Black Friday release expecting something special, and it's good but maybe not £96 good. Classic Caol Ila coastal smoke and oily texture, with some dried fruit and vanilla from the aging. I prefer it with a splash of water — neat at 53.2% it's a bit of a brute.

Grace Kim — Proper Islay punch at cask strength

8/10

This is what I want from a Caol Ila — that medicinal peat smoke layered over brine and lemon peel, but with 16 years of maturity rounding it out. At 53.2% it's hot neat but a few drops of water open up this gorgeous ashy sweetness. Genuinely good value for a 16-year-old cask strength Islay.

Felix Moreau — Proper Islay punch at cask strength

8/10

This is what I want from a Caol Ila — that medicinal peat smoke layered over brine and lemon peel, but with 16 years of maturity rounding it out. At 53.2% it's hot neat but a few drops of water open up this gorgeous ashy sweetness. Genuinely good value for a 16-year-old cask strength Islay.

Haruki Sato — Proper Islay punch at cask strength

8/10

This is what I want from a Caol Ila — that medicinal peat smoke layered over brine and lemon peel, but with 16 years of maturity rounding it out. At 53.2% it's hot neat but a few drops of water open up this gorgeous ashy sweetness. Genuinely good value for a 16-year-old cask strength Islay.

Kofi Asante — Solid but not a showstopper

7/10

I grabbed this on the Black Friday release expecting something special, and it's good but maybe not £96 good. Classic Caol Ila coastal smoke and oily texture, with some dried fruit and vanilla from the aging. I prefer it with a splash of water — neat at 53.2% it's a bit of a brute.

Petra Novak — Solid but not a showstopper

7/10

I grabbed this on the Black Friday release expecting something special, and it's good but maybe not £96 good. Classic Caol Ila coastal smoke and oily texture, with some dried fruit and vanilla from the aging. I prefer it with a splash of water — neat at 53.2% it's a bit of a brute.

Camila Ortiz — Proper Islay punch at cask strength

8/10

This is what I want from a Caol Ila — that medicinal peat smoke layered over brine and lemon peel, but with 16 years of maturity rounding it out. At 53.2% it's hot neat but a few drops of water open up this gorgeous ashy sweetness. Genuinely good value for a 16-year-old cask strength Islay.

Adaobi Eze — Proper Islay punch at cask strength

8/10

This is what I want from a Caol Ila — that medicinal peat smoke layered over brine and lemon peel, but with 16 years of maturity rounding it out. At 53.2% it's hot neat but a few drops of water open up this gorgeous ashy sweetness. Genuinely good value for a 16-year-old cask strength Islay.