Whisky Caol Ila Distillers Edition

For more than 100 years, small steamers supplied the Caol Ila distillery with barley, coal and empty barrels. Returning to the mainland through the Strait of Islay (called Caol Ila in Gaelic), they carried the final whisky. That is long gone, and other things have changed massively as well: In 1974, for example, the technically outdated distillery was replaced by a new building. The six stills were faithfully reproduced to achieve the characteristic quality of Caol Ila whisky, even in the new building. But much has remained the same: Caol Ila is still the only east-facing distillery on Islay and the first to welcome the morning sun. The barley malt used here still comes from the Port Ellen malting plant, and the spring water still bubbles up from the limestone at the bottom of nearby Loch nam Ban, before flowing into the sea in the form of a small, crystal-clear stream right beside the distillery. Moreover, the story lives on through the people: Billy Stitchell, now the manager of Caol Ila, has worked here for years, just as his father, grandfather and great-grandfather did before him.

Caol Ila Distillers Edition has been matured twice: first in European and American oak casks, then in old moscatel casks, giving it rich fruit aromas and a complex sweetness that complements the typical smoky flavours.

Nose: Peaty aromas on the nose with an intense bouquet of fruit and spicy notes.

Mouth: On the palate, peaty smoke flavours drown out its sweetness with cinnamon flavours developing elegantly. Finish: Long and complex.