Caol Ila 15 Years Old 1972 (Connoisseurs Choice)

The Elgin house Gordon and MacPhail released this Caol Ila, a 15 year old, distilled in 1972, bottled at 40%. Caol Ila is an Islay malt of clean, oily, citrus driven smoke. From a small Victorian works it grew into one of Scotland's biggest malt distilleries.

It was worked from peated barley through the distillery's tall stills, giving a clean, lemony peat. Years in ex-Bourbon wood lent a soft vanilla and a coastal calm. In the oxidative middle years the spirit deepens, oxidation drawing out waxy fruit as the guaiacol smoke fades to embers. Phenols from the peat smoke carry the medicinal, lemony edge through the years. The make balances phenolic smoke against a bright, oily citrus. Time in oak deepens the oily body while the maritime smoke stays bright. Active wood frames the smoke without smothering the citrus beneath. The peat here is medium rather than heavy, so fruit and smoke share the glass.

At an easy 40% it is gentle. A coastal peat with citrus and pepper, with a touch of vanilla and toffee. The texture is oily, the smoke threaded with citrus. The close is long, smoke over a citrus lift. This is the smoky malt of the Sound of Islay.