Caol Ila 28 Years Old 1979 Old & Rare The Platinum Selection (Douglas Laing)

The Glasgow bottler Douglas Laing selected this Caol Ila, a 28 year old, distilled in 1979, bottled at 54.6%, one of 272 bottles. Caol Ila is a workhorse of the blending halls and a favourite of malt drinkers. Its spirit also feeds blends such as Bell's and Black Bottle.

The spirit was made from medium peated malt for a clean, smoky spirit, giving a bright, citrus driven peat. A bourbon barrel held it, the oak lending vanilla and a little cream. At this oxidative, evaporative stage ellagitannins lend a polished, drying structure while slow oxidation brings waxy tropical fruit over a ghost of peat. The clean spirit shows the cask clearly, which is why it suits so many wood types. Water falls to the distillery from Loch nam Ban in the hills above. Time in oak deepens the oily body while the maritime smoke stays bright.

Bottled at a cask strength 54.6%, it is intense. A clean peat with sea salt and citrus, with a light vanilla and a touch of coconut. The texture is oily, the smoke threaded with citrus. Smoke and sea salt see out a long finish. This is a clean, smoky Islay single malt from Caol Ila.