1988 Gordon & Macphail Connoisseurs Choice Caol Ila 31 Year Old Cask Strength Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)

These venerable Caol Ilas promise to take your Islay experience on a different trajectory, heading off into an altogether more refined and delicate direction than your average teenaged peat bomb. Add refill Sherry Butts to the mix and the complexity and richness should be even further amplified. Drawn from cask No. 225, 518 bottles have been released globally at 51.4% Alc./Vol. Non chill filtered.

 Notes from the bottlers... Nose: Rich vanilla and freshly- baked shortbread aromas lead delicate lemon peel with an undertone of spice. Hints of baked apple and brazil nut give way to subtle smoke. Taste: Intense sweet stewed fruit combines with a hint of cracked black pepper and vanilla. Fragrant orange oil and toasted almonds are complemented by rich, encompassing smoke. Finish: Long and smooth; bonfire ash endures on the finish.