Caol Ila 1976, 25 years old (B.2002) Signatory Vintage / 59.3% / 0.7l

Caol Ila (Gaelic for "Strait of Islay") has been producing whisky since 1846 and is now the largest distillery on the island.

The local standard whisky is distilled from malt with a phenol concentration of 30-35 ppm, but since 1998 the plant has also been distilling from malted barley without peat (currently it is about 25% of production). Caol Ila belongs to the Diageo concern and for a long time remained in the shadow of Lagavulin; in recent years, however, the concern has invested heavily in the brand, which has resulted in an increase in sales to over 600 thousand bottles. The Caol Ila presented here, distilled on 29 September 1976, spent a quarter of a century in cask no. 8088, and was bottled at cask strength (59.3% abv) on 5 March 2002, in a limited edition of 302 bottles.

Nose : smoked seafood, peat smoke, lemons, grapefruits, white pepper, lemongrass, tarred ropes, diesel oil, notes of wax and oak.

Palate: slightly smoky, oysters, smoked fish, lemon juice, sea salt, green olives in brine, white pepper, ginger, roasted peanuts, peat smoke and a light oak bitterness.

Finish: quite long, with notes of peat smoke, sea salt, smoked fish, white pepper, tobacco and oak.