Black Friday 2022 (Caol Ila) 16 Year Old Islay Whisky

Jorge Castillo — Great sipper for peat lovers

8/10

Picked this up as a treat and I've been rationing it ever since. The smoke is more refined than younger Caol Ila bottlings, with a nice waxy quality and hints of smoked fish and iodine. I drink it neat despite the 53.2% — it carries the ABV well for a 16-year-old. Would recommend to anyone who likes their Islay malts with some age on them.

Yuki Nakamura — Great sipper for peat lovers

8/10

Picked this up as a treat and I've been rationing it ever since. The smoke is more refined than younger Caol Ila bottlings, with a nice waxy quality and hints of smoked fish and iodine. I drink it neat despite the 53.2% — it carries the ABV well for a 16-year-old. Would recommend to anyone who likes their Islay malts with some age on them.

Ravi Krishnan — Great sipper for peat lovers

8/10

Picked this up as a treat and I've been rationing it ever since. The smoke is more refined than younger Caol Ila bottlings, with a nice waxy quality and hints of smoked fish and iodine. I drink it neat despite the 53.2% — it carries the ABV well for a 16-year-old. Would recommend to anyone who likes their Islay malts with some age on them.

Astrid Nilsen — Punches well above typical Caol Ila

8/10

I usually think of Caol Ila as a solid workhorse malt, but this Black Friday release is a step up. The extra years have added real depth — there's dried apricot and beeswax alongside the trademark smoke and brine. Had it neat and with a single ice cube, preferred it neat. At £96 it sits right in that sweet spot where you don't feel guilty pouring a Tuesday night dram.

Nia Okafor — Punches well above typical Caol Ila

8/10

I usually think of Caol Ila as a solid workhorse malt, but this Black Friday release is a step up. The extra years have added real depth — there's dried apricot and beeswax alongside the trademark smoke and brine. Had it neat and with a single ice cube, preferred it neat. At £96 it sits right in that sweet spot where you don't feel guilty pouring a Tuesday night dram.

Sophie Brennan — Punches well above typical Caol Ila

8/10

I usually think of Caol Ila as a solid workhorse malt, but this Black Friday release is a step up. The extra years have added real depth — there's dried apricot and beeswax alongside the trademark smoke and brine. Had it neat and with a single ice cube, preferred it neat. At £96 it sits right in that sweet spot where you don't feel guilty pouring a Tuesday night dram.

Jake Morrison — Solid but not a showstopper

7/10

I grabbed this on the Black Friday release expecting something special, and it's good but maybe not £96 good. Classic Caol Ila coastal smoke and oily texture, with some dried fruit and vanilla from the aging. I prefer it with a splash of water — neat at 53.2% it's a bit of a brute.

Kofi Asante — Solid but not a showstopper

7/10

I grabbed this on the Black Friday release expecting something special, and it's good but maybe not £96 good. Classic Caol Ila coastal smoke and oily texture, with some dried fruit and vanilla from the aging. I prefer it with a splash of water — neat at 53.2% it's a bit of a brute.

Petra Novak — Solid but not a showstopper

7/10

I grabbed this on the Black Friday release expecting something special, and it's good but maybe not £96 good. Classic Caol Ila coastal smoke and oily texture, with some dried fruit and vanilla from the aging. I prefer it with a splash of water — neat at 53.2% it's a bit of a brute.

Haruki Sato — Proper Islay punch at cask strength

8/10

This is what I want from a Caol Ila — that medicinal peat smoke layered over brine and lemon peel, but with 16 years of maturity rounding it out. At 53.2% it's hot neat but a few drops of water open up this gorgeous ashy sweetness. Genuinely good value for a 16-year-old cask strength Islay.

Camila Ortiz — Proper Islay punch at cask strength

8/10

This is what I want from a Caol Ila — that medicinal peat smoke layered over brine and lemon peel, but with 16 years of maturity rounding it out. At 53.2% it's hot neat but a few drops of water open up this gorgeous ashy sweetness. Genuinely good value for a 16-year-old cask strength Islay.

Adaobi Eze — Proper Islay punch at cask strength

8/10

This is what I want from a Caol Ila — that medicinal peat smoke layered over brine and lemon peel, but with 16 years of maturity rounding it out. At 53.2% it's hot neat but a few drops of water open up this gorgeous ashy sweetness. Genuinely good value for a 16-year-old cask strength Islay.

Liam Anderson — Decent but I expected more complexity

7/10

For a 16-year-old at nearly a hundred quid, I was hoping for a bit more depth. Don't get me wrong, it's a perfectly enjoyable dram — peaty, maritime, with some toffee and oak spice. But it doesn't quite have the complexity I've found in similarly aged Islays from other distilleries. Still, I finished the bottle, so take that criticism with a grain of sea salt.

Priya Sharma — Decent but I expected more complexity

7/10

For a 16-year-old at nearly a hundred quid, I was hoping for a bit more depth. Don't get me wrong, it's a perfectly enjoyable dram — peaty, maritime, with some toffee and oak spice. But it doesn't quite have the complexity I've found in similarly aged Islays from other distilleries. Still, I finished the bottle, so take that criticism with a grain of sea salt.

Olivia Park — Decent but I expected more complexity

7/10

For a 16-year-old at nearly a hundred quid, I was hoping for a bit more depth. Don't get me wrong, it's a perfectly enjoyable dram — peaty, maritime, with some toffee and oak spice. But it doesn't quite have the complexity I've found in similarly aged Islays from other distilleries. Still, I finished the bottle, so take that criticism with a grain of sea salt.

Carlos Mendez — Best Caol Ila I've had in years

9/10

Wow. The nose is incredible — campfire smoke, sea salt, and this really elegant honey sweetness underneath. On the palate it just keeps going, long smoky finish with dark chocolate and espresso notes. At 16 years old it's hit that perfect balance between peat and maturity. I'd buy another bottle without hesitating.

Hannah Brooks — Best Caol Ila I've had in years

9/10

Wow. The nose is incredible — campfire smoke, sea salt, and this really elegant honey sweetness underneath. On the palate it just keeps going, long smoky finish with dark chocolate and espresso notes. At 16 years old it's hit that perfect balance between peat and maturity. I'd buy another bottle without hesitating.

Aiko Tanaka — Best Caol Ila I've had in years

9/10

Wow. The nose is incredible — campfire smoke, sea salt, and this really elegant honey sweetness underneath. On the palate it just keeps going, long smoky finish with dark chocolate and espresso notes. At 16 years old it's hit that perfect balance between peat and maturity. I'd buy another bottle without hesitating.