Today is Caol Ila open day, so let’s review their Feis Ile 2014 bottling. It was the first Special/Feis Ile bottling done by the new distillery manager David Wood who try to carry on and stand up to Billy Stitchell’s work.

So the Feis Ile 2014 bottling? Not much to tell about it. It was matured in refill American oak hogsheads without any fancy finishes or tricks.

Caol Ila 2002 (Feis Ile 2014 bottling) (55.5%, 1500 bottles, £150)

Nose: Sweetness and peat with sweetness at first dominating the nose. Lemon and coconuts, a bit oily. With time there are ashes on the nose. With water it’s spicier and bring out a huge coconut concentration.

Palate: Peat is first at the gate, then sweet lemonade, honey, very smooth and easy drink. With water: peatier and not sweet at all, citrus (but no lemonade) and oak notes.

Finish: Medium-long finish. Lingering sweet lemonade, oak and peat.

Thoughts: A very nice Caol Ila but it’s not an outstanding one. It’s a bit mellow and unmemorable one as most of the other Feis Ile 2014 bottles trumps it. Heck, even the unpeated series is better in terms of specialty.