Caol Ila 2011

A fully 8 years old Caol Ila aged in first fill bourbon casks. At the nose it offers only a hint of the peaty intensity it has in store: very medicinal, very phenolic, but almost friendly. At the first sip, a huge maritime blast of iodine and peat, ashy and tarry, envelops your senses. After the initial shock, you start to get the delicious nuances: a fruity freshness of bananas and ripe white wine. Again, it’s almost buttery, but mineral and very lemony, with the peat burning hot and thick for several minutes.