Caol Ila 19 Year Old 1995 Signatory

The Un-Chillfiltered Collection from Signatory is always bottled without chill filtration (doh!) and at a drinking strength of 46%. Signatory married three casks for this release of 729 bottles. This Caol Ila from 1995 is as pale as white wine.

Surprisingly sweet nose in which the fruit and mostly a lot of vanilla come first. The fruit reminds me of pears, apples, lemon and even a hint of banana. Only then the typical coastal elements of Caol Ila appear: seaweed, ashes and some dried grass. The peat makes for the development of mild smoke, some salt and even a hint of plasticine. But all in all, this is quite a docile nose.

The body is quite light, but nevertheless this is a very tasty dram. I get a nice mix of banana and citrus (grapefruit!) opposite a big smokiness. Medicinal traits and lots of ashes kick in. Wonderfully spice. Accessible, sure, but I think this could have been quite a bomb at cask strength. Now it is all a bit docile. Good, but docile.

The finish is wonderfully long, smoky and spicy. Quite salty as well. I quite like that.

If Coal Ila was a dancer, than this release certainly had some ballet classes (I can see you frowning – you are right, I am uttering nonsense again).

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