Whisky Single Malt 'Moch' Caol Ila

Caol Ila is the Gaelic name for the "Sound of Islay", the strait that separates the island of Islay from Jura, one of the most remote and most beautiful of the west coast of Scotland. The barley used here is still malted locally at Port Ellen, and pure spring water continues to gush from limestone in nearby Loch nam Ban before descending into a crystalline stream towards the sea at Caol Ila, as it always has. Then there are the descendants of generations past who keep alive the traditions of the place. Billy Stitchell is the director of the distillery and worked there for years, as well as his father, both his grandfathers and his great-grandfather. This unbroken line is proof that tradition and expertise are key here. Caol Ila Moch is a single malt in limited release, released in spring 2011, was initially available only to members of the "Friends of the Classic Malts" Diageo but has now been released, albeit in small amounts, also to dealers who specialize in whiskey. "Moch" in Gaelic means "dawn" and is so named because it is intended as a starting point for the Caol Ila, in fact this is their first distilled bottled without statements of age. On the nose there are notes of lemon, apple and custard with hints of dry grass and a hint of smoke. The palate is sweet and very soft with a good body, peat feels but does not predominate, notes of lemon cake and notes of smoke on the finish. The finish is quite long, dry and smoked.