Single Note: Caol Ila 12 Year Old Whisky
Key Facts About This Single Malt Scotch
Bottler: Single Note
Founder: Rick van Diepen
Distillery: Caol Ila
Age: 12 Years Old
Region: Islay, Scotland
Cask Type: A single ex-bourbon re-racked into first-fill ex-bourbon
Cask Ref: 303639
Alcohol by Volume: Cask strength at 53.3%
Distilled: 25/02/2008
Bottled: 15/04/2021
Limited Edition: 375 Bottles
Bottle Size: 500ml
Bottled: Natural colour and without chill filtration
Caol Ila 12 Year Old Tasting Notes
Official tasting notes
Nose: Prosciutto and miso, a citrus note from line, followed by root beer.
Palate: The coastal brininess you may expect, combined with an interesting note of cardamom. An intriguing effervescence adds an unusual dimension to this Caol Ila.
Finish: A medium to long finish with lovely soft stone fruit notes.
Ed's review
Colour: Natural colour, very pale straw - like a chardonnay wine. Oily and viscous, with lots of legs running down the side of my glass.
Nose: Peat smoke, as soon as you open the bottle. But more than just smoke. Vanilla and oak from those two bourbon casks, with a good dose of wood sugars. A sweet note, honey drizzled pumpkin pie. Smoked ham, and Barratt's pink shrimp sweets.
Palate: Medium mouthfeel. There's a sweetness to this Caol Ila, again perhaps we're seeing the two bourbon casks play a role. A buttery, creamy note. Soft tropical fruit - papaya. A hint of the ocean off Islay's coast. The alcohol is well integrated at 53.3%, it's helping provide body and structure, without any burn.
Finish: Medium to long finish. Gentle peat smoke, honey, and tropical fruits. Just a touch of spice.
Read Ed's full review of Single Note Caol Ila 12 Year Old here.
About Single Note
Single malt scotch whisky and jazz music are Rick van Diepen's passions. Rick has been a whisky enthusiast since the 2005, when he did an exchange program in Edinburgh. He joined the University's whisky society and visited distilleries across Scotland. Caol Ila distillery was his favourite. So that's where he started with his first release, a 5 year old Caol Ila, and where he's gone back to for his second release.
Where can you ship?
We're based in the UK, but we can ship to many countries.
We deliver to Australia, Canada (Alberta), China, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Greece, Guernsey, Hong Kong, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Jersey, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macao, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Philippines, Singapore, South Africa, South Korea, Taiwan, UK, US (certain states*), and Vietnam.
*We can ship to the following US states duty-paid (so no further taxes for you): Alaska, California, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Louisiana,Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Nebraska, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Texas, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, Wyoming.
How much is shipping?
Shipping charges are calculated during checkout, depending on where you live and how many bottles you’re buying. Shipping within the UK is free on orders over £100.
What about taxes?
All alcoholic products sold by TopWhiskies are sold subject to UK alcohol tax, which is already included in the price.
UK sales are subject to VAT (currently 20%), which is included in the price. Sales outside of the UK are not subject to this tax, and international prices do not include it.
We use a specialist US shipper who sorts out US taxes. These costs are factored into the US shipping charges. So shipping may look pricey, but remember it covers your taxes as well.
For all other territories, including those in Europe, please note: your order could be subject to local sales taxes and duties upon arrival in the destination country. All additional charges are the responsibility of the recipient. As customs policies vary widely from country to country, TopWhiskies has no control over these charges, so you should contact your local customs office for further information. If you refuse to pay any import duties and taxes, this could result in the goods being destroyed by customs or being returned back to us - any refund offered would include a deduction of our costs.
Which couriers do you use?
In the UK we use Royal Mail, Parcelforce and APC. US orders are sent via UPS. International orders use FedEx and DHL.
Need help?
For help, or custom orders, please contact Ed on email ed@topwhiskies.com
Quality products, independent brands
All the brands I work with are independent. Many of them are small brands, run by one or two people with a whole load of passion. As a result, these unique products are top quality.
Personal support
Need help? Write to me at ed@topwhiskies.com. It's always me at the end of the email, and I'm always glad to help.
Five-star service
With happy whisky-loving customers all around the world, we're rated five stars for our service.
Secure checkout
We accept all major cards, along with PayPal and Apple Pay. Check out securely online, with the safety of SSL encryption. You can pay in a wide range of currencies, whatever is most convenient for you.
Choose options
Meet the Founder
Rick van Diepen