Description
Finn Thomson Caol Ila 18 Years Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky
This is the 3rd of a series of sherried Caol Ila 2006 casks that we have bottled. The oldest of the 3 at 18 years old, this has evolved into an incredibly smooth and balanced peated whisky. The Oloroso sherry finish has added layers of sweetness and fruit to combine with the underlying smoke from the distillery.
Caol Ila has a reputation for being Scotland's most reliable distillery for producing consistently high quality whisky.
While it works brilliantly in all different cask types, for me it is at its best matched with a sherry cask. The sherry influence works beautifully with the underlying fruity flavours of the Caol Ila spirit while the addition of sweetness balances out the smokiness. The final result is a delicate and balanced peated whisky - a far cry from some of Islay's other malts where the peat flavour is more prominent. Instead this is a sophisticated dram that combines the flavours of peat and sherry perfectly.
As the 3rd of the series of 2006 Caol Ila's it is fascinating to try this alongside the 15 and 17 year old versions. With the extra time in the cask, this is the smoothest and most delicate yet, showing the vital role patient ageing can have on the quality of a whisky.
Story
Finn Thomson is a Scotch whisky independent bottler that is 300 years in the making. Since James Thomsons illicit potstill in the 1700s, the Thomson family has pursued a different element of whisky through the ages – distilling, blending, trading, selling – helping to shape the very story of Scotch itself.
With three centuries of family whisky history and personal tutelage from some of the most respected names in the Scottish whisky industry, Finn may stand on the shoulders of giants. But the weight of decision rests on his own.
Finn is responsible for calling the moment when a whisky’s flavours are at their finest; quirks and eccentricities at their most beguiling. Whether it’s a decades-old cask from the family collection or an entirely new creation, this is art as much as science. Wood, water and weather have had their say. The only guides that count now are taste, scent and intuition.
Origin : Scotch
Type: Whisky
Distillery : Caol Ila
Bottler : Finn Thomson
Vintage : 2006
Bottled : 2025
Age : 18 Years
Cask Type : Oloroso Sherry Finish
Cask Number : 312558
Number of bottles : 275 bottles
Alcohol : 49.1%
Bottle Size : 700 ml