Cask Strength Caol Ila

Well, I picked up a bottle of the distillery released Caol Ila Cask Strength (among others) on a recent trip to Amsterdam. Pale gold in color, 55% ABV, no age statement. The nose is intense, peat reek and phenol can be detected at arms length. The taste fulfills the promise of the nose, it is phenolic and peaty to an extreme, far more so than any recent Laphroaig that I have tried. The finish is long, dry and warming.
This is a one-dimensional whisky with no subtlety about it, an in-your-face blast that takes no prisoners. A great dram for the outdoors on a cold winter day... feroce

and how was it priced (I`ll be there over the holidays). THANKS!

selection of rare whisky. From Centraal Station, take the #2 tram to the end of the line, the shop is in the plaza.
Some other goodies to look for while you are there...
Talisker 25 year cask strength Ardbeg Lord of the Isles Springbank 30 year Chieftan`s Choice cask strength Glenfiddich 21 year Havana Rum Cask
That`s what I ended up with, ran out of money before I really wanted to, there was a `72 Glen Rothes that I lusted for, but alas, no more cash...and they don`t take credit cards. feroce

terrific sales clerk mentioned that there`s more in the cellar, I didn`t go any further than what was within a yard of the front counter. A really great shoppe!

I also love this new Caol Ila! Undiluted it`s sippable but after some experiments it appears that addition of 25-30% water is best for me, which makes it 41 - 44% abv. The packaging states `one part whisky to two parts still water`. Strange, I could never handle that much water - just too strong for me... A sweetish fragrance appears with dilution, like it started to rain after a dry period? Nose: very peaty/smoky, sea, clean. Taste: the promise is fulfilled indeed: very soft, slow start and then a mouth-coating wave of peat, tar, seaweed and other, hard to describe things. Long warm slightly peppery finish. Like you say: more intense that the current Laphroaig which is a supposed to be such a peat monster, I find it very mild but I`ve never tasted old bottlings.
I even preferred it to my first malt love Ardbeg 10 (apart from Glenfiddich, heh) which was very rough this time and had something sour in the nose. It`s probably me, or has it slipped a bit in a year?
I can`t wait to taste some other new Classic malts, like the Lagavulin 12 c/s - how is that one, anyone tried it yet? My expectations are high! cheers all, Mecklin

Laphroaig has definitely been "dumbed down" over the past 10 years. Whether this is due to changes at the distillery 10+ years ago, or a conscious effort to tame it via vatting, who can say? If you use the 10yo c/s version as a benchmark, then I`d have to hazard a guess and say it`s probably a conscious effort, because there are still some very intense casks in the inventory. I wish Allied would wise up and jump on the 46% nonchillfiltered bandwagon, to put some teeth back into Laphroiag. friend has tried it already and says it`s much less sherried than the current 16yo, more smoky/peaty and malty sweet.

Does anyone know if any of the stores in Calgary sell the Cask Strength Laphroaig?

Really? There have been rumors rumbling about this for years, but has someone you know actually seen it on the shelves in the US? Would you mind sharing where it can be found?