Caol Ila 1969 Ses Bicentenary 1786-1986
| Category | SINGLE MALT |
| Distillery | Caol Ila |
| Bottler | Sestante (Ses) |
| Bottling Series | - |
| Vintage | 1969 |
| Bottled Year | 1986 |
| Age | 16년 |
| Cask Type | - |
| Cask Number | - |
| Bottles Released | - |
| ABV | 40.0% |
| Volume | 750 ml |
| Label | - |
| Country | Scotland |
| Region | Islay |
Flavor Profile
Tasting Notes
Colour
light amber
air Nose
going from post-reconstruction Caol Ila to the original distillery, with all its worm tubs, direct coal firing and floor maltings etc, is one of the most mind-tripping gear shifts in whisky I would wager. This is another world entirely. Wonderfully salty, leathery and gently tarry old style sherry with deeply herbal, drying and complex peat smoke. Ancient tar and herbal liqueurs, boot polish, walnut oils and aged cigars. Stunning combination of fruits, tars, herbs, embrocations, peat and sherry!
restaurant Palate
ever at 40% the peat is immediate and massive. Big, chewy, wonderfully drying, earthy, herbal and deeply 'organic' - I would say this is the definition of older style peat flavour that tended only to arrive in malt whisky via distillery floor maltings. I also find various smoked herbs, iodine drops, ancient herbal liqueurs such as Benedictine and yellow Chartreuse. Also even an impression of aged Drambuie with these wonderfully resinous salted honey and camphor notes. The kind of whisky that you could go on dissecting for ages, you dare not imagine what it must have been like at cask strength!
timer Finish
surprisingly long, thanks in no small way to this gorgeous and massive peat flavour. Black pepper, smoked fish, dried tarragon and smoky, salty walnut-imbued rancio