Port Askaig 16 Years Old SMS (Speciality Drinks Ltd)

From the bottler Speciality Drinks Ltd, a 16 year old Caol Ila, bottled at 45.8%. Caol Ila is an Islay malt of clean, oily, citrus driven smoke. A few weeks each year the distillery runs an unpeated, Highland style spirit.

Run through tall copper stills that keep the smoke light, for the clean island smoke prized by blenders. A sherry cask wrapped the spirit in dried fruit and a nutty depth. At oxidative maturity aldehydes and esters lend dried fruit while ellagitannins add a drying, structured grip, the smoke now mellow. A slow maturation in the cool island air keeps the spirit fresh and oily. The original Victorian distillery was almost entirely rebuilt in the modern era. Port Askaig is a tiny settlement on the rugged east coast of Islay. Its peated character is built on malt smoked to a medium level of phenols. Sea air works into the maturing casks, lending a briny, coastal lift.

At 45.8% it is soft, oily and bright. A clean maritime smoke with lemon and brine, with dried fruit, fig and walnut from the cask. Beneath the smoke run lemon, brine and a peppery oil. The finish is clean, smoky and maritime. This is a refined, citrus driven Islay smoke.