*This year's Feis Ile bottle does not have an outer packaging
Extraordinarily punchy and sweet-spicy, and simply huge in spirit, this is a very well-structured Caol Ila; sure to persuade anyone who may not yet realise just how fine it can be.
Cask Information: Matured in refill American Oak Hogsheads and finished in virgin American Oak casks.
Bottles available: 3,702
APPEARANCE
Deep full gold with brassy lights. Ripe corn. Goodbeading and legs. Great viscosity.
BODY
Full.
NOSE
Mild, with light prickle. The first aroma soon becomes medicinal with hints of fabric sticking-plaster, salve and iodine, backed by mineral notes of chalk and slaked lime. Salty maritime notes come forward more surely with time, and there is some familiar ham or smoky bacon at the bottom of it all. A dash of water lightens the medicinal notes and brings up more classic bonfire smoke.
PALATE
At natural strength, a lightly oily and smooth texture and a delightfully clean yet unexpectedly sweet initial taste, which the nose does not suggest. A shake of salt mid-palate adds balance and there is a peppery kick at the back as you swallow, as the oak spice gently makes its presence felt. A drop of water really emphasises the smooth sweetness and the smokiness too, always backed but not dominated by the oaky wood-spice.
FINISH
Long, smoky and lightly drying, the smoke edged by spice with smoked meat and medicinal hints both lingering in the aftertaste. With water, still longer and smoother and yet also still spicy; plenty of pepper lingers, along with that smoky bacon.
