An old Caol Ila 1982 bottled a long time ago by Hart Brothers. We’ve had some great 1982s at cask strength, but this is a fairly standard 46%.
Caol Ila 25 yo 1982
(46%, Hart Brothers ‘Finest Collection’ 2007, American oak cask)
Caol Ila 25 yo 1982Nose: a very mineral style of Caol Ila, coming close to Port Ellen. Smoky, without actual peat, with hints of seaweed and brine. Camphor. Lemon and sour apples. Wet chalk. Wet dogs too. Motor oil.
Mouth: superb. It’s smoky and kippery, a tad farmy, with lots of phenols and resinous notes. Sweet apples and candied lemons underneath. Hints of tar. Pepper and salt. Quite some floral notes as well.
Finish: long, briney and peppery, with lots of ashes.
This is quite an excellent Caol Ila, reminding me of the 1970s profile. Even at a lower strength this is very tasty. Thank you, Stefan!
Score: 89/100