If the 1983 bottling in our Collector’s Edition series is already quite old and rare for a Caol Ila, this one is even more of a special treat. The extra three years of maturation bring in our glass a whisky which is very similar in style (having been aged in exactly the same kind of bourbon casks as the 1983), but also more complex: apart from the slightly more mineral character of the distillate, the additional oak influence is evident in the fragrant impressions of camphor and mint at the nose, and the more balsamic and tannic taste on the palate. But again, this is another very elegant and even slightly austere Caol Ila, with still quite a bit of intensity and Islay ruggedness in spite of its old age.