Compare Ardbeg/Talisker and Caol Isla

[kiwicrusaders]

I have just opened a bottle of Highalnd Park 12, and although I am enjoying it I don't feel it is anywhere near as good as The Ardbeg, Talisker ir Lagavulin. Now I am stuck with what to get next.

Can anyone tell me how Caol Isla and Bowmore (I haven't tried) compare to Ardbeg and Talisker. I would rank my tasting as follows.

1) Ardbeg 10 /Talikser 10 (I really can't choose, it depends on my mood)
2) Lagavulin 16 (I probably didn't have enough to do it justice)
3)?
4)?
..
10) Highland Park 12
..
20) Laphroieg Quater Cask (Thought this was ok)
..
50) Belvenie Double Wood (Didn't enjoy this)

[pkt77242]

I say go with the Caol Ila. With the standard 12 I get peat, salt, olive, and a hint of citrus. Well more smoke than peat, and no where near as peaty as Ardbeg, Laga, or Laph and slightly more peaty than Talisker.


Sean

[jhershauer]

I agree with Sean. The Caol Ila slots nicely right in between the Talisker and Ardbeg. You're getting an easy to manage bump in intensity as you move from one to the next. Well, you do lose some of the fiery pepper of the Talisker when you move to the Caol Ila, but definitely pick up additional peat and coal smoke. The Caol Ila also hints at some of the tar you get when you move on to Ardbeg.

Jeff

[Knolly]

Just for something slightly different, the Caol Ila Distiller's Edition is quite tasty!

Personally I think that it might be the best of the official bottlings out from Caol Ila right now.

Cheers!

[whiskynig]

To throw my own spanner in the works, last night my friend and I compared the Ardbeg Uigedael and Arg nam beast (!), and threw in the 19 yo Caol Ila from the smws.
The Caol Ila was beautiful as expected, trust me you would do well with the standard 12 bottle. However, the Beast, which we both thought was stunning last week and again last night far outweighed the Uigedael in our opinion, despite Jim Murray`s bible score, and if I was not looking at an Ardbeg bottle I could have sworn the Uigy was from Caol Ila.

[halbmeyer]

I really like the younger whiskies such as the Ardbeg 1998 Almost There or the Ardbeg Still Young. You can still get these at the Whisky Exchange. Of course the Lagavulin 12 (2008) is unbelievable as is the Longrow Gaja Barolo 7 Year Old. Just released and mentioned on the Whiskey Exchange site is the Port Askaig. I have all 3, but I like the 17 the best. It tastes very similar to the Caol Ila line (based on age) and may very well be. If you want something strong w/o the peat level, try the Longrow CV... it has a great low price to boot. Recently, a friend from Royal Mile Whiskies introduced me to the Talisker 18 and it is so much better than the 10. Another very good less peaty SM is the Highland 1990 Cask (Signatory) that they sell at Royal Mile.