Caol Ila 23 Year Old 1978 Rare Malts - 70cl 61.7%

In 1846, Glasgow distillery owner Hector Henderson picked a little bay on the Sound of Islay for his distillery site. He named it for the sound itself, using the Gaelic Caol Ila, and it was across this sound the little puffer ships made their round trips to the mainland, slowly helping to establish the distillery as the biggest on Islay. Pronounced 'cull-eela', the distillery is situated on the North Eastern shores of Islay with magnificent views across the Sound of Islay to the spectacular Paps of Jura. The annual production of this distillery is over 3 million litres of alcohol per year, and it’s often referred to as a whisky factory. The pure spring water used in Caol Ila rises from limestone in nearby Loch nam Ban, and falls towards the sea by the distillery. Caol Ila is one of the lighter Islay Whiskies, lighter in colour than its powerful neighbours, but with distinctive floral and peppery notes which complement the traditional Islay peaty flavour.