Caol Ila 18 Year Old (2006) Oloroso Finish / Finn Thomson

70cl Bottle

49.1% ABV

Single Cask Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky

Distilled at Caol Ila Distillery and Bottled by Finn Thomson Independent Bottlers

Aged 18 Years

1 of 275 bottles

Cask No. 312558

Cask Type: Oloroso Sherry Hogshead

Producer's notes: This is the 3rd of a series of sherried Caol Ila 2006 casks that we have bottled. The oldest of the 3 at 18 years old, this has evolved into an incredibly smooth and balanced peated whisky.

The Oloroso sherry finish has added layers of sweetness and fruit to combine with the underlying smoke from the distillery.

Caol Ila has a reputation for being Scotland's most reliable distillery for producing consistently high quality whisky. While it works brilliantly in all different cask types, for me it is at its best matched with a sherry cask. The sherry influence works beautifully with the underlying fruity flavours of the Caol Ila spirit while the addition of sweetness balances out the smokiness.

The final result is a delicate and balanced peated whisky - a far cry from some of Islay's other malts where the peat flavour is more prominent. Instead this is a sophisticated dram that combines the Navours of pear and sherry perfectly.

As the 3rd of the series of 2006 Caol Ila's it is fascinating to try this alongside the 15 and 17 year old versions. With the extra time in the cask, this is the smoothest and most delicate yet, , showing the vital role patient ageing can have on the quality of a whisky.