Review #907 - Caol Ila 15 Year 'Unpeated Style' (2014)

Caol Ila single malts are typically peated, bordering on the 'heavily peated' whisky category; however, the distillery has made a very limited amount of unpeated distillate in the past. These unusual bottlings were typically released as a part of the annual Diageo special releases; here we have a bottling, which was a part of that series, from back in 2014.

This spirit was distilled in 1998, and the final bottling specifications are impressive: 15 years of maturation in ex-bourbon casks, as well as a natural cask strength of 60.39% ABV. Because of that ex-bourbon maturation, we're hoping that we get to see the real character of the famous Caol Ila distillate without the influence of peat; let's see how this one holds up after waiting for more than 10 years in the bottle.

Caol Ila 15 Year 'Unpeated Style' (2014)

Scotland/Islay - Single Malt

Price: USD 150 (2026)

Age Statement: 15 Years

Strength: 60.39% ABV

Cask Makeup: First fill ex-bourbon casks

Details: Distilled 1998, bottled 2014

Tasting Methodology: Reviewed 3 times over 1 month; bottles at 90%, 80%, and 70% fill levels at times of review. Tasted in a nosing glass each time, rested 15+ minutes

Nose: A little tight at first, but it opens to candle wax, lemon curd, vanilla, and buttery notes. There's some malt influence building and a very nice spirit character - bright, coastal, with salt and some mineral notes. Light yeasty scents combine with honey and a musky fruit like cantaloupe.

Palate: Beautiful spirit signature, really lovely stuff - malty and sweet, lots of honey, a bit of oak spice behind that. Lemon drop candies and a wisp of charcoal arrive, and we get a waxy side like the nose. Tons of malty notes, quite dense; pears, vanilla, and an effervescent fizz come and go. This has a medium-thick mouthfeel.

Finish: Very oily with velvety texture, but the flavors are bright: grassy, juicy pear, sweet lemon candy, honeydew melon. Soft mineral notes and salt return, and we get some tart pineapple and tinned peach in the aftertaste, along with hints of brown sugar and a soft smoky note. It's waxy again; this is a medium-long finish.

Final Note: These unpeated versions of Caol Ila show why their distillate is so prized for blending: the quality of the spirit is just superb. Good weight, nice bright and malty flavors, and it develops a lot of complexity with time - this is taking to the bourbon cask oak very well without being overwhelmed. A fun mixture of fruit, baking spices, and a coastal character... really good whisky. If you get a chance to try or buy a bottle of unpeated Caol Ila, we highly recommend it.

Value for this bottle is decent if you can find it for a fair price. Prices do vary quite substantially at auction - we were lucky to snag this for less than $100, but we've seen other lots bid up to $150 or more. We would probably pay up to $130 or $140 personally, as it is a really tasty bottle, and as it's unpeated, it's a bit of a rarity coming from this distillery.

Our Rating: 8.0 / 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: 6.47

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.