Nose: Buttery, lemon notes typical of Caol Ila, with less typical spice from the sherry cask; cloves in particular, and vanilla with black pepper. Very soft smoke.
Palate: That spice again, wrapped in buttery soft caramel, and then the peat comes through with woody, saline citrus notes.
Finish: Long, lemon smoke.
Overall: A wonderfully structured Caol Ila, 17 years seems something of a sweet-spot for this distillery.