I took this photo in the morning, when golden drops of sunshine entered my office. Fitting for this bottle that was gifted to us by Golden Drops Danmark. With the elegant white label, stating one of our most beloved Islay distillery: Caol Ila and the glorious words ‘Oloroso 1st fill’, it’s very tempting to take a sip.

It’s 8 in the morning, the work day has yet to start, but let’s not play the innocent whisky taster: I of course couldn’t resist. And it immediately took me to one of our distillery trips. I’m back in Port Askaig and I’m in good company. We often do tours in the morning or early in the afternoon. And it has been said before: it almost always tastes better than in the evening. A clean palate and a clear mind do wonders. Dion and I took it for a spin for a few times after the first impression, and we can safely say this one is not only enjoyable at sunrise…

We tasted a fair amount of independently bottled Caol Ila recently, and it’s very hard to go wrong. Some more traditionally and elegant in style and some very experimental or bold. But sometimes, Caol Ila’s elegance can be topped with another layer of elegance. And this is one of those. I’m usually more a fan of bourbon matured Islay malts. Sherry casks often take over and result in a heavy, damp or very dry experience. But not in this case, the oloroso cask has left the vibrant Caol Ila spirit alive and added a fine but very present layer of sweetness. This genuinely is one of the best Caol Ila’s I’ve tasted so far.