Caol Ila Mackillop's Choice Single Malt Scotch Whisky 31 Year Old · 1979 Vintage

Colour

Rich golden amber with honeyed warmth, a deeper caramel and coppery gleam that catches the light in a radiant, luxurious glow.

Nose

Intense peat smoke and sea-salt air rise first, laced with iodine and waxy coastal minerals. A lush sherry lift reveals dried fig, raisin and cocoa, mingling with vanilla and toasted oak. Subtle medicinal tones and a warm, resinous peat linger, tethering the Islay maritime character.

Palate

Powerful, coastal and amber-lit on the palate: molten peat smoke, iodine, and sea-salt attack the senses, then unfold into rich raisin and fig sweetness, dark chocolate, and toasted oak. Viscous yet elegant, with peppery spice and citrus zest cutting through the sweetness. A long, warming finish of embers, smoke, and salty maritime notes.

Finish

Long, coastal finish of smoke and brine, threaded with rich sherry sweetness. Sea-salt and iodine give way to ash, revealing dark cocoa and dried fruit, before a warming peppery spine lingers on the tongue.