Rare Malts Selection Caol Ila 1975 Aged 21 Years

Style: Smoky, Sweet and Spicy

Rating: ☆☆ [Highly Recommended]

Nose:

Sea spray brimming with minerals and a delightful lightness of lemon confectionaries. Austere chalky notes at the periphery, while red chillies sink into the depths. Kelp smoke, mint, aloe vera, coal and dust wrapped around by a gentle jasmine fragrance. Damp peat emits a calm but assertive aura, striking a few high iodine notes along the way. Ongoing tartness, but finishing on delicious pineapple sweetness. Fantastic.

Palate:

The palate shows this Caol Ila’s true character - astoundingly robust, with powerful spice surging at full force. Limoncello, green grass and shellfish surf on top of the tsunami. More stinging and scorching red chillies, but beyond that sits refined citrus orange and malt. Spring water, Pacific rock oysters with a drop of creaminess and salinity. Hay weaves a net beneath churning coal embers. Light biscuity tail.

Finish:

An even mix of orange and lemon entangled by threads of peat smoke. Malt begins to shine after a while, creating a calm and soothing finish.

Thoughts:

Despite the renowned consistency of Caol Ila, being excellent and almost never disappointing across all vintages, I am under the impression that the 1970s distillate is still slightly different to modern examples - dirtier, more radical and perhaps messier. However, this modestly chaotic character also generates more depth and complexity, making this more than just another good Caol Ila. Being quite lean in general, it might not measure up against peak Port Ellen, but what will? This is as good as it gets in my honest opinion.

[61.3% | Original Bottling | Natural Cask Strength | Vatting | Limited Edition | Bottle No. 8006 | 1975 Distilled | 1997 Bottled]