Caol Ila 17 Years Old 1990 Cask #DL 3398 (Douglas Laing)

A 17 year old Caol Ila, this distilled in 1990 from the Glasgow bottler Douglas Laing, from cask DL 3398, bottled at 50%, one of 365 bottles. Caol Ila is Diageo's largest Islay distillery. Much of the spirit leaves the island by sea to mature on the mainland.

Drawn off the distillery's six tall stills from peated barley, building a refined, maritime peat. Refill American oak let the spirit speak, adding a quiet honeyed note. At oxidative maturity aldehydes and esters lend dried fruit while ellagitannins add a drying, structured grip, the smoke now mellow. The medium peating leaves a smoke that is firm but never heavy. The clean, oily spirit takes cask flavour well while holding its citrus and smoke. Smoked citrus and a saline minerality are the hallmarks of the make. Its peated character is built on malt smoked to a medium level of phenols.

At 50% without water it is rich and full. Smoke, lemon and a peppery oil, with a light vanilla and a touch of coconut. The palate is oily and smoky, with a green citrus lift. The close is long, smoke over a citrus lift. This is a refined, citrus driven Islay smoke.