Port Askaig 34 Years Old ElD (Elixir)

Sukhinder Singh's Elixir Distillers bottled this Caol Ila, a 34 year old, distilled in 1983, bottled at 49.7%, one of 176 bottles. Caol Ila is the largest distillery on the Isle of Islay. From a small Victorian works it grew into one of Scotland's biggest malt distilleries.

It was worked from peated malt for the lighter Islay style, for an oily smoke that leans to lemon and brine. A bourbon barrel held it, the oak lending vanilla and a little cream. At this great, fragile age oxidation has the last word, ethereal esters, beeswax and old polished tannins where the smoke once was. The spirit's lightness lets sherry, wine and bourbon casks all show through. The clean, oily spirit takes cask flavour well while holding its citrus and smoke. The make balances phenolic smoke against a bright, oily citrus. The oily texture comes from the spirit cut, the cask adding depth around it.

At 49.7%, undiluted, it is bold and clean. Smoked lemon, brine and a green olive note, with a light vanilla and a touch of coconut. It is clean and coastal, the peat and lemon to the fore. The close is long, smoke over a citrus lift. This is a clean coastal malt with a lemony peat.