Caol Ila 18 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky: Special Release 2017, 70cl

Each autumn, a new collection of Special Releases from Diageo lead the way. Every single one is special, introducing a world of flavour, rarity and desire beyond the everyday. Almost all are at cask strength. They include small releases from fabled closed distilleries and supreme examples of the less well known, as well as unusual expressions of more familiar names. Many can only be released in tiny quantities.

This Caol Ila 18 Year Old whisky is fresh, sweetly fruity and unpeated. Caol Ila is an Islay single malt, which usually means "peaty", but years ago, a batch of Caol Ila was made once a year using unpeated barley. Blenders called it "Highland Style". A small quantity makes a most unusual Special Release each year. This 18 year old is the oldest. With pale yellow and gold hues, there are aromas of lemon zest, edging towards lemon drizzle cake and lemon sherbet sweets, or perhaps honeysuckle, vanilla cream and egg custard, along with toffee, green-leaf herbs, fruit gums and soft spiciness. There is a chocolatey, peachy and creamy texture, with notes of vanilla and blackcurrant. Occasionally, it slips into sour orchard and sweet candied fruit, then into intense salted caramel and toffee. Hints of sea-spray dance the edges, along with barrel-char smokiness, oak, black-pepper spiciness and fresh clean notes. Finally, the fruit and char unite in triumph, as fresh-baked apple pies. Water amplifies both fruit and spice, with liquorice and orange zest, the spice gaining heat and a hint of chilli. There is a soft and long finish, with notes of vanilla and spiced pastry, succeeded by aniseed, polished oak, bittersweet liquorice and a last burst of red berries, which fades to soft spice, sweetness and oak.