Caol Ila 10 year old Signatory distilled 1998

This is the first independent bottling that I have tried, and if this experience is any indicator, I look forward to sampling many more in the future. This is a Signatory Vintage bottling coming from a single hogshead cask and is non-chill filtered and no caramel added. This is bottle 121 of 359.

Nose: Butter, Citrus (tangerine?), Light Smoke, Herbal, Wet Weeds, Roast Chicken. Fairly long legs. It is a very light colored whisky.

Palate: Charcoal, Smoke, Tar, a bittersweet sourness that reminds me of Kumquat but not as intense. The body is medium and velvety.

Finish: Peppery, smokey, bitter dandelion greens.

The flavors and smells of this whisky are bolder and more pronounced than in the 12yr from the distiller which I imagine are due to the younger age and being from a single cask. The bitterness in palate and finish is quite unique and good. Like the refreshing bitterness of a good IPA. This dram really wakes up with a few drops of water. Its a Caol Ila just with some differences. Very good!

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