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SMWS 53.459: Caol Ila

“Steely, smoky, sweet and spicy” · Past release, no longer on sale
Steely, smoky, sweet and spicy - SMWS 53.459Sold outOct 2023
53.459

Steely, smoky, sweet and spicy

SMWS regionIslay
Age11 years
ABV60.6%
Cask1st fill ex-bourbon hogshead
SpiritMalt Whisky
Distillery from SMWS code 53
DistilleryCaol Ila
RegionIslay

In short · Caol Ila (Islay), 11 years.

“Big smoky notes were married with a sweeter side and a hint of spice – imagine burning old fish boxes for a barbecue on the beach as you throw cloves, aniseed and…”Extract · full tasting notes at SMWS

SMWS 53.459 is a single cask of Caol Ila, in the Islay region, 11 years old, bottled at 60.6%, released in the Oct 2023 Outturn. Every Society bottle numbered 53.x is from Caol Ila.

How the price compares
At £78.50, this 11-year-old cost more than 29 of the 49 Caol Ila bottlings aged 9–13 released 2021–2025 that we hold. They ranged from £63 to £99, with a median of £70.
Shaded: their range · line: this bottleRelease prices, not adjusted for inflation

Specs, price and tasting-note extract from the SMWS. Full notes on smws.com.

About Caol Ila

Hidden in a cove above Port Askaig, gazing across the churning Sound of Islay to the Paps of Jura, Caol Ila (1846) is the island's largest distillery and the quiet engine-room of Johnnie Walker. On its own, though, it is a beauty: oily and cool, olive brine and lemon and a soft grey smoke. Diageo's.

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