Caol Ila 30 Years Old 1980 Old & Rare The Platinum Selection (Douglas Laing)

The Glasgow bottler Douglas Laing bottled this Caol Ila, a 30 year old, distilled in 1980, bottled at 59.4%, one of 270 bottles. Caol Ila is a workhorse of the blending halls and a favourite of malt drinkers. The warehouses are ranged along the rocky shore at the water's edge.

This was run through tall copper stills that keep the smoke light, building the elegant Islay smoke at its heart. Refill American oak let the spirit speak, adding a quiet honeyed note. At this great, fragile age oxidation has the last word, ethereal esters, beeswax and old polished tannins where the smoke once was. A slow maturation in the cool island air keeps the spirit fresh and oily. Its spirit also feeds blends such as Bell's and Black Bottle. A gentle vanillin sweetness from the oak balances the coastal phenols. Olive oil and lemon sit at the heart of the Caol Ila character.

At 59.4% without water it is rich and full. A clean ashy smoke with lime and brine, with a quiet vanilla under the smoke. Lemon, olive oil and a soft ash run through the middle. A long, coastal finish carries a peaty warmth. This is the smoky malt of the Sound of Islay.