It’s rare to find old an Caol Ila, since most of them are usually appreciated in their teens, when the Islay aromas are bold and fiery and the clean and maritime strikes the palate as smoky yet refreshing. And yet, at times it pays to wait longer… Slowly savour its elegant aromas: mineral, with a slightly citrusy note and just a touch of beeswax and medicinal herbs. So clean after all these years! If at the nose it’s fragrant but comparatively delicate, in the mouth it explodes with vibrant smokiness, and yet it’s not brutal. After 30 years in a refill cask, if you close your eyes it almost reminds of a Port Ellen: so rich and intense, but enveloped in a creamy and velvety caress.