Caol Ila 2001

8 year old Islay 61.3 % vol

1 of only 318 bottles from cask 303801

We believe in bottling when a cask has matured its contents fully. Very active casks do the job surprisingly quickly, and this is an example. The colour is deep gold (from an American oak hogshead which had formerly held sherry), and the first nose is of butterscotch and ‘Caramel Danette’ (according to one member of the panel: this is a kind of vanilla cream). Soon Coal Tar soap and smoked cheese join the mix. Water reduces the sweetness and adds traces of gun-stock oil and Shreddies breakfast cereal, but the sweet smokiness returns in full measure in the taste, which is bigger than expected, with wine vinegar and billows of fresh, fragrant woodsmoke.

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