Caol Ila 16 Years Old 2008 The whisky fair (Liquid Treasures)

The bottler Liquid Treasures released this Caol Ila, a 16 year old, distilled in 2008, bottled at 54.8%, one of 274 bottles. Caol Ila is a workhorse of the blending halls and a favourite of malt drinkers. Water falls to the distillery from Loch nam Ban in the hills above.

The spirit was drawn off the distillery's six tall stills from peated barley, building a refined, maritime peat. A wine cask held it, layering berry fruit over the malt. Through oxidative maturity the phenols mellow and esters concentrate, citrus turning to candied lemon over a soft peat. Sea air works into the maturing casks, lending a briny, coastal lift. Much of the spirit leaves the island by sea to mature on the mainland. The original Victorian distillery was almost entirely rebuilt in the modern era. A few weeks each year the distillery runs an unpeated, Highland style spirit.

At a natural 54.8% it is full and oily. Smoke, grapefruit and a maritime salt, with brown sugar and a tropical lift from the cask. A maritime salt and a lemon lift run through it. A long maritime smoke closes it. This is an elegant Islay single malt.