Caol Ila ‘One Day Old’ The Whisky Jury

The Whisky Jury – a Belgian independent bottler – has spoiled us in the past with lovely single casks. For the 14th release he selected a first fill quarter cask that was filled with Coal Ila spirit on the 9th February 2018 and bottled on the 10th February 2021. Hence the funny tagline ‘one day old’. Only 152 bottles were available at the very fair price of 49 EUR and hence they flew off the shelves. I feel lucky that I was able to get me a bottle.

Very peaty on the nose. I’ve only just poured it and already the room starts to smell great. Peat, a fisherman’s boat, sea breeze and whelks. A nice note of citrus and apples, as I often find in Caol Ila. Yes, you can smell this is very young, but already full of character for such a nascent malt.

On the palate too the young age is immediately obvious, but that is what makes it so interesting. Sharp on salt, stock fish and cold ashes with lots of lemon peel and some vanilla. The second sip offers some olives and oyster sap, but also some grapefruit and a mildly medicinal note. Powerhouse.

That medicinal note manifests itself again on the long, feisty and salty finish.

Impressive is the least you can say. It proves again that the Caol Ila spirit is of outstanding quality. Thanks to the small cask, this Caol Ila bursts with character, even after just one day.

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