USA SHIPPING FROM $28
EU SHIPPING FROM €16
USA SHIPPING FROM $28
EU SHIPPING FROM €16
$179
The Italian bottler Wilson and Morgan picked this Caol Ila, a 15 year old, at 54%. An elegant smoke carries grapefruit, salt and a green olive note, with dried fruit, fig and walnut from the cask. It stands at Port Askaig, facing Jura across the Sound. It is Diageo’s largest Islay distillery by some way. This is a polished, maritime Islay single malt.
Only 2 left in stock
Description
A Caol Ila drawn by the Italian bottler Wilson and Morgan, distilled in 2008, from cask 309560-309561, bottled at 54%, one of 499 bottles. Caol Ila is the smoky backbone of the Johnnie Walker blends. The malt is medium peated, giving a cleaner smoke than the south shore Islays.
The spirit was distilled from medium peated malt in tall copper stills, for a clean, coastal, oily make. A sherry cask wrapped the spirit in dried fruit and a nutty depth. At oxidative maturity vanillin and lactones are fully expressed and ellagitannin tannins lend a polished, drying frame to the smoke. A slow maturation in the cool island air keeps the spirit fresh and oily. The tall stills and a high cut give a lighter, cleaner spirit than the southern Islays. Caol Ila's smoke leans to lemon, olive oil and brine rather than tar or iodine.
At 54%, undiluted, it is bold and clean. Ashy smoke, lemon oil and a saline tang, with dried fruit, fig and walnut from the cask. The texture is oily, the smoke threaded with citrus. The finish is clean, smoky and maritime. This is one of the most versatile of the Islay malts.
Additional information
$179
