Caol Ila 17 Years Old 1984 Cask #5749 (Signatory)

This Caol Ila was bottled by the Pitlochry bottler Signatory Vintage, a 17 year old, distilled in 1984, from cask 5749, bottled at 43%. Caol Ila wears its Islay smoke more lightly than its southern neighbours. It was founded by Hector Henderson and later passed to the Distillers Company.

Here the spirit was run through tall copper stills that keep the smoke light, building a refined, maritime peat. Years in ex-Bourbon wood lent a soft vanilla and a coastal calm. At oxidative maturity aldehydes and esters lend dried fruit while ellagitannins add a drying, structured grip, the smoke now mellow. Long ageing turns the young, sharp peat into a soft, coastal smoke. Cool, damp warehousing slows the loss of the angel's share over the years. The oily texture comes from the spirit cut, the cask adding depth around it. The lighter style means the cask and the citrus speak alongside the peat.

At 43% it is supple and oily. A smoky, briny coastal character, with vanilla and a soft caramel from the wood. Smoke, lemon and a saline minerality fill the middle. The finish runs oily, smoky and clean. This is an Islay malt that wears its smoke lightly.