Caol Ila 32 Years Old 1983 Cask #5292 (Signatory)

A Caol Ila of a 32 year old chosen by the Pitlochry bottler Signatory Vintage, distilled in 1983, from cask 5292, bottled at 49.3%, one of 249 bottles. Caol Ila is an Islay malt of clean, oily, citrus driven smoke. It was founded by Hector Henderson and later passed to the Distillers Company.

The spirit was distilled from medium peated malt in tall copper stills, for the clean island smoke prized by blenders. A tired refill cask added little but time, the make speaking clearly. At this great, fragile age oxidation has the last word, ethereal esters, beeswax and old polished tannins where the smoke once was. The peat here is medium rather than heavy, so fruit and smoke share the glass. Diageo's Special Releases have featured both peated and unpeated Caol Ila. Refill oak lets the maritime peat and lemon of the spirit lead the way.

Bottled at a cask strength 49.3%, it is intense. Peat, smoked fish and a citrus oil, with vanilla and a soft caramel from the wood. The texture is oily, the smoke threaded with citrus. Lemon, soft ash and sea salt see it out. This is a refined, citrus driven Islay smoke.