Caol Ila Over 40 Years Artist 10th Anniversary

As it involves a journey through time filled with moving memories, tasting a single malt of this age - and perhaps more so in the case of an Islay - is always enthralling. It is generally said that with time “old” Islays tend to see their peaty and smoky character subside a little in favour of the other facets of their personality. With notes of peat and smoke that continue to assert their supremacy over a palette of flavours and aromas that has become more creamy whilst maintaining lots of freshness, this Caol Ila is the exception to the rule. With superb intensity, the dried extracts found in the empty glass are a perfect demonstration of this.Profile: the distinguished first nose is animal (bacon) and powdery (ginger). We are shown Caol Ila in a more peaty light than usual. Allowed to breathe, soot falls onto the palate as a thick smoke creates a particularly opaque screen. Suddenly, the sun appears, bringing lemon, pear, heady florals and acacia honey that light up the aromatic palette. The full-bodied attack is peaty, earthy, floral and spicy, and the mid-palate malty, spicy and infused (camomile). The silky start of the finish wavers between lime and exotic fruit (passion fruit). It then lingers on increasingly chocolate, smoky and camph