Caol Ila 18 Years Old 1974 Cask #12454 – 56 (Signatory)

An 18 year old Caol Ila from the Pitlochry bottler Signatory Vintage, from cask 12454-56, bottled at 43%, one of 1200 bottles. Caol Ila is the smoky backbone of the Johnnie Walker blends. Its spirit also feeds blends such as Bell's and Black Bottle.

The spirit was worked from peated barley through the distillery's tall stills, giving a clean, lemony peat. An American oak cask shaped it, soft and sweet beneath the peat. At oxidative maturity vanillin and lactones are fully expressed and ellagitannin tannins lend a polished, drying frame to the smoke. Time in oak deepens the oily body while the maritime smoke stays bright. Malt comes from the Port Ellen maltings on the south of the island. The warehouses are ranged along the rocky shore at the water's edge. The clean spirit shows the cask clearly, which is why it suits so many wood types. A slow maturation in the cool island air keeps the spirit fresh and oily.

Reduced to 43%, it is mellow. Sea spray, smoke and a citrus lift, with a gentle oak sweetness beneath. Soft smoke and citrus sit behind the cask. A long maritime smoke closes it. This is an elegant Islay single malt.