Caol Ila 2007 DeDr

We’ve been on a bit of a sherry run with Caol Ila lately (barring a very old Whiskyland outlier, which we’re choosing to ignore), so it felt like time to let the distillery breathe again. No tricks, no seasoning, no overthinking, just a proper refill hoggie doing exactly what it should and delivering Caol Ila in its most classical, self-assured form. Bottled at natural cask strength and left gloriously unbothered. It opens with that pristine coastal snap, all seawater, citrus and sharply chiselled peat, before drifting into tarry edges, green olives, capers and a slick of smoked olive oil. There’s wax, seaweed crackers and bone-dry peat smoke threading through it, keeping everything tight and focused. The finish lingers in all the right places, gently ashy, mineral, with lemon rind and black olive notes quietly hanging on. Effortless, expressive, and just a really lovely reminder of why Caol Ila doesn’t need dressing up.