Caol Ila 32 Years Old 1984 (Small Batch)

From Scotland's oldest independent bottler Cadenhead's, a 32 year old Caol Ila, distilled in 1984, bottled at 52.9%, one of 234 bottles. Caol Ila has been bottled at every age from young and fierce to old and waxy. Much of the spirit leaves the island by sea to mature on the mainland.

Worked from peated barley through the distillery's tall stills, for a clean, coastal, oily make. An American oak cask shaped it, soft and sweet beneath the peat. At an ethereal, fragile age the spirit turns delicate, sotolon lending a maple and old oak depth as beeswax and a ghost of smoke linger. Maturation by the sea gives the malt its mineral, sea spray character. Its spirit also feeds blends such as Bell's and Black Bottle. The make balances phenolic smoke against a bright, oily citrus. Active wood frames the smoke without smothering the citrus beneath. Most of its peated malt is destined for the Johnnie Walker blends.

At 52.9%, undiluted, it is bold and clean. Wood smoke, lemon zest and brine, with vanilla and a honeyed edge from the cask. Smoked lemon and sea salt build over an oily body. A long maritime smoke closes it. This is a lemony, coastal Islay single malt.