Caol Ila Cadenhead's Small Batch Single Malt Scotch Whisky 29 Year Old · 1984 Vintage

Colour

Deep burnished amber with sunlit gold flashes and a coppery sheen, rimmed by mahogany.

Nose

Peat smoke and sea-salt air loom over a crisp, iodine-laced core, with mineral brightness preserving the Islay tide. Behind it, sherry-driven sweetness unfurls—prune, fig and raisin, dark chocolate and toasted almond—adding depth and a glossy, treacled warmth that lingers through the aroma.

Palate

Silky and intensely smoky, the palate unfurls Caol Ila’s maritime peat with iodine and sea spray. Rich sherry influence whispers dried fig, raisin, and dark chocolate, weaving through peppery spice. Oily, full-bodied and persistent, it coats the tongue with a briny gloss before a long, warming finish of charcoal and ash.

Finish

An astonishingly long coastal finish. Peat smoke and sea spray meld with rich sherry sweetness, leaving dried fig, dark chocolate and orange zest. A warm, peppery glow lingers on the tongue, with mineral salt and oak spice framing the smoke as it slowly fades.