Nose: Lemon Sherbet, fresh and zingy peat, and just a little hint of Raisin, provided by the superb Sherry butt from which this bottle was drawn.
Palate: Textbook Caol Ila, but with a strong backbone provided by the Sherry cask. Much akin to the distillers’ edition, but at full and unadulterated cask strength. Sterling stuff. Huge Cinder-Toffee sweetness creeps in gently, but doesn’t overpower.
Finish: The peat gives way somewhat to a butterscotch, salted caramel flavour which persists beautifully, interweaving itself with the smokiness to provide one of the best Caol Ilas we’ve tried in ages.
Overall: An absolute belter of a bottle, this one, and no surprise that the queue for the bottles took a full hour from start to finish, despite the remoteness of the location.