Review #743 - Five Lions Caol Ila 9 Year Single Cask

Five Lions is a small independent bottler which has bottled whisky from a variety of distilleries; based on their entries in Whiskybase, they seem to focus on a couple of distilleries, namely Glenburgie and Braeval. Here, though, we have a peaty single malt from their line: a 9 year old Caol Ila.

The whisky in this single cask was distilled back in 2007 and bottled in 2016; it was matured in an American oak ex-bourbon hogshead, so we're expecting a nice distillate-forward version of this distillery's whisky. The bottling strength is a hefty 57.3% ABV, and this is not chill filtered and contains no added color.

Five Lions Caol Ila 9 Year Single Cask

Scotland/Islay - Single Malt

Price: USD 115 (2025)

Age Statement: 9 Years

Strength: 57.3% ABV

Cask Makeup: Ex-bourbon hogshead

Details: Not chill filtered, no color added; distilled August 2007, bottled November 2016

Tasting Methodology: Reviewed 2 times over 2 years; bottles at 50% and 70% fill levels at times of review. Tasted in a nosing glass each time, rested 15+ minutes

Nose: Lemon and white pepper - sharp at first, but it mellows out. We get a medium level of peat smoke, and some vanilla and icing sugar builds; time brings a bit of a floral or herbal side, too.

Palate: Warm and peppery, spirity, a bit spicy at times; then sweeter, creamy notes of vanilla, banana, and orange arrive. Honeydew melon combines with a buttery taste and some wood char; the peat has a medium influence again. This has a medium-thick mouthfeel.

Finish: Tart and peppery with some light oak, cinnamon, and peat. Syrupy poached pears and buttery notes become stronger in the aftertaste; it's a long finish.

Final Note: A relatively simple but solid example of Caol Ila - this shows how good their spirit is, as it carries plenty of punchy flavor when it isn't suppressed by a strong cask influence. A decent amount of peat smoke, though not as heavy as some Islay brethren like Laphroaig and Ardbeg; a nice bright fruit character, along with soft floral notes. Good single malt from a dependable distillery that almost always makes a good product.

Value is a little below average on this bottle as it's a little expensive at $115; this is harder to find now as it was bottled 9 or so years ago, but it could be a good guide for similar bottlings.

Our Rating: 7.0 / 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: 5.76

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.