Review #663 - Adelphi Caol Ila 12 Year Single Cask

There are many, many options to explore in the realm of independently-bottled Caol Ila, as a huge number of bottlers have been able to get their hands on these casks. The base spirit coming from Caol Ila is generally a consistent, high-quality distillate; after that, each bottler likes to put their own spin on the whisky, which is often released in single cask form. Every cask type imaginable has been used at this point: bourbon, sherry, port, a multitude of wine casks - you get the idea.

This Adelphi selection goes back to basics: a refill ex-bourbon cask, specifically a hogshead, which is slightly larger than a standard barrel. Because of that cask choice, we should get a chance to see more of the real Caol Ila character, that moderately peated, light-fruit-forward distillate. This single cask was aged for 12 years in that hogshead, and it was bottled in 2022 at a punchy strength of 55.9% ABV.

Adelphi Caol Ila 12 Year Single Cask

Scotland/Islay - Single Malt

Price: USD 119 (2025)

Age Statement: 12 Years

Strength: 55.9% ABV

Cask Makeup: Refill ex-bourbon hogshead

Details: Not chill filtered, no color added; distilled 2009, bottled 2022; cask 314242; 275 bottles

Tasting Methodology: Reviewed 3 times over 10 months; bottles at 100% (blind tasting), 80% (blind tasting), and 70% fill levels at times of review. Tasted in a nosing glass each time, rested 15+ minutes

Nose: Sharp lemon and sweeter lemon curd, along with medium peat smoke, which also brings ash and charcoal. It's still a bit spirity, and there's an interesting combination of creamy notes and mild funk; time brings lighter notes of guava, lavender, green melon, and white pepper.

Palate: The mouthfeel is medium-thick; peat is relatively strong now, accented by sharp pepper and mild wood smoke. There's a great heft to the palate - it's oily, quite viscous. Lemon-lime soda, vanilla, and spun sugar are backed up by stronger coastal notes like sea salt and wet slate.

Finish: Ashy, sharp lemon - there are some hints of bitterness here and there. Freshly baked bread and vanilla add a mild baking side, and we get fizzy lemonade, white pepper, and more mineral notes in the aftertaste. The complexion is light, and it's a bit spicy; the finish is medium-long.

Final Note: Just a classic example of Caol Ila at a relatively young age. Like we hoped, the distillate is on show here with plenty of peat, mineral/coastal notes, and light fruit like lemon; the oak impact is quite reserved. A raw, spirity Islay whisky, one that shows the true essence of the island's whisky. Good single malt, one we're happy to have on the shelf.

Value is okay, maybe just a hair below average, as some of the Adelphi bottlings are more expensive than some of their competition. Actually, these days, independently-bottled Caol Ila has risen quite a bit in price across the board, and it's hard to find 12+ year old versions for under $100. Because of that, we think this one is worth it, as it has the specifications we want and it's a high quality cask.

Our Average Rating: 7.4 / 10

In the current whisky landscape of increasing prices and variable quality, we've added a value rating to our reviews that relates to the score and the available pricing of each whisky. This roughly equates to a 0-10 scale; no reviews so far have exceeded a score of 10, although it is technically possible for the formula to produce a value rating higher than 10 with a high enough score and low enough price.

Value Rating: 5.96

About Us: We're a husband and wife review team living in the Midwest United States. Generally, our reviews and tasting notes will be a compilation of both of our experiences with a whisky over several tasting sessions.