Port Askaig 30 Years Old SMS 2015 Release (Speciality Drinks Ltd)

From the bottler Speciality Drinks Ltd, a 30 year old Caol Ila, bottled at 45.8%. Caol Ila is the quiet giant of Islay, vast yet refined. Diageo's Special Releases have featured both peated and unpeated Caol Ila.

Here the spirit was made from medium peated malt for a clean, smoky spirit, for the clean island smoke prized by blenders. It rested in ex-Bourbon oak, the wood adding only a light vanilla. 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. Its spirit also feeds blends such as Bell's and Black Bottle. The distillery was expanded again in the 21st century to meet blend demand. The spirit's lightness lets sherry, wine and bourbon casks all show through. The cool Islay air gives a slow, steady maturation by the shore.

Reduced to 45.8%, it is mellow. Wood smoke, lemon zest and brine, with a quiet vanilla under the smoke. The texture is oily, the smoke threaded with citrus. The smoke fades slow over citrus and a mineral tang. This is a refined, citrus driven Islay smoke.