2009 Signatory Caol Ila 8 Years Review

When I opened this 2009 Signatory Caol Ila 8 years my first thought was “This would have been a good fit for our Young Caol Ila tasting“. I took a 2007 Ultimate Caol Ila to that tasting, which was pretty good, but this hogshead-aged delight would have been a perfect fit for what we had that night.

I love releases like this because they prove something I’ve been saying for years and I hope more folks embrace it. Young whisky isn’t better or worse than older whisky – it’s just different. What really matters is maturity and the integration of oak and spirit. And this… well, you’ll see.

2009 Signatory Caol Ila 8 Years – Details and Tasting Notes

Whiskey Details

Region: Islay, Scotland

Distiller: Caol Ila
Bottler: Signatory
Bottled For: K&L
Mash Bill: 100% Malted Barley
Cask: Hogshead
Age: 8 Years
ABV: 56.9%

Cask Strength | Non-Chill Filtered | Natural Color

Cask: 319401
Bottles: 287

Price: $90

White background tasting shot with the 2009 Signatory Caol Ila 8 Years bottle and a glass of whiskey next to it.

“Not only is the distillery cranking out some of the finest peated malt anywhere on Islay, but it tastes extremely delicious even at a very young age.” – K&L

Tasting Notes

EYE
Pale straw

NOSE
Vanilla saltwater taffy, honey candy, peat, Nilla Wafers, plastic, toffee, fresh coffee shop scones, dried fruit, minerally spirit and char. There’s a wonderful, diverse, sweetness that moves through the aroma and balances the smoky, coastal and spirity notes in this 2009 Signatory Caol Ila 8 Years.

PALATE
Waxy vanilla, smoke, citrus, malt, honey graham, plastic, toffee, scones, dried fruit, seaweed, minerally spirit and char. Dynamic delivery that’s a reorganized and waxy delivery of the aroma with a bit less of the “baked goods” notes and more of the sweet ones.

FINISH
Long -> Smoke, minerality and waxy vanilla delivered in a nice silken drawl.

BALANCE, BODY and FEEL
Good sense of balance, med-full body and a slightly oily feel.

2009 Signatory Caol Ila 8 Years – Overall Thoughts and Score

Just because whisky is young, doesn’t mean it’s bad. It just means it’s different and this is a perfect example of how young whisky can be both different and good. Though, there is a wee bit of a gamble; the 8 Yo Old Particular I tried earlier is the exact opposite. It’s the thing that people fear when they see a young whisky. This though is what I hope for when I see one.

This is the embodiment of tasty young Islay. I bought 2 bottles and now wishing I had picked up a third. It truly shows why age is just a number; the real issue is maturity. And maturity is all about the integration of oak and spirit. That’s really what I’m looking for in every whisky.

When the oak overpowers the spirit it’s sat too long and you get this boring, tannic, hard-to-swallow oak profile. When they haven’t integrated you get this spirit forward whisky that’s equally hard to swallow. But when you get a whisky that shows integration and maturity, especially when it’s this young, it’s a bit magical in its own right – which is what this 2009 Signatory Caol Ila 8 Years is, a bit magical.

SCORE: 3/5