Whisky Focus - Caol Ila Distillers Edition Best Single Malt Whisky

Caol Ila Distillers Edition Best Single Malt Whisky


30th March 2011

Caol Ila Distillers Edition Single Malt Scotch Whisky, distilled in Islay, has taken the top Single Malt Scotch Whisky honours at the 2011 San Francisco World Spirits Competition.

After three days of judging against dozens of single malt Scotch whiskies, the Caol Ila Distillers Edition was awarded the accolade of "Best Single Malt Scotch Whisky".

This stylish, richly flavoured and complex expression of Caol Ila has - after many years maturation in oak casks - has been double-matured in dark Moscatel cask wood, hand-selected to complement the whisky’s sweetly fruity, smoky intensity.

Caol Ila Distillers Edition is not new to expert praise. It won Gold – Best in Class at the International Wine & Spirit Competition in 2009, Gold at the International Spirits Challenge in 2009 and 2010, and Gold at the Scotch Whisky Masters in 2010.

The supreme "Best" award, won this year by Caol Ila Distillers Edition, is given after an extensive multiple-round judging process running over three days.

The limited number of bottlings that qualify for a Double Gold Medal (which happens when the judging panel is unanimous in its assessment of a Gold Medal award) may, if the judges unanimously agree again, progress further to compete for honours in a wider super category.

This "super panel" of judges then re-assess the selected Double Gold winners with a view to deciding the "Best of" category awards: a process that takes the better part of the final day, nosing, tasting, evaluating and voting the best of the best in each category.

Judging at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition is based on a blind, consensual procedure ensuring competitive integrity, making this competition one of the most reputable and recognised competitions in the spirits industry.
 

Caol Ila Distillers Edition Tasting Notes


This stylish and complex expression of Caol Ila has been double-matured in carefully selected Moscatel casks. The wood is not over-evident and instead balances perfectly with this richly flavoured single malt. It was bottled at 43% ABV.

Producer's Tasting Notes:

Colour: Clear gold.

Nose: Wonderfully concentrated pure, clean Caol Ila – peaty and medicinal, with rich fruit, spicy and fragrant. With water, the fragrant smokiness comes singing through.

Taste: Medium bodied. Sweetness and maltiness strike first, then are quickly overwhelmed by peat smoke and intense, clean, crisp flavours. The signature smoky bonfires are here, and build to quite a size. Overall, drying, in a beautifully balanced, complex, elegant development, complemented with cinnamon spice.

Finish: Long, rounded, robust and multi-layered.
 

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