Islay.
Antique gold colour.
Floral and fruity on a fresh-clean, smoky base.
Light to medium.
Starts sweetly and soon dries, with a rising peaty pungency.
A spicy-sweet finish.
Make: Caol Ila
Age: 35 years old, distilled in 1982
Strength: 58.1% ABV
Region: Islay
Antique gold, good beading.
A clean and clear start, with floral and fruity notes on a fresh-cleaned and faintly smoky base. Artist’s studio, lemon zest, butter and malt vinegar. The smoke is carried on notes of pine, resin and menthol, with a cereal-grain core. Later, a floral freshness with almond soap and final, fresh mint.
Cooling and very fluid, with a smooth, creamy texture, soon becoming dry after a quiet, lightly sweet start. Sugary, then smoky against a developing herbal astringency with fennel and even a trace of picture varnish. Wonderful tooth-coating tannins offset a rising, peaty pungency.
Spicy-sweet, with honey, sweet peat smoke and crunchy cereal, smooth chocolate, syrupy pistachio pastry. Cleansing, with silky dryness and lingering smoky warmth.