Signatory Vintage Caol Ila 2012 was distilled at Caol Ila Distillery and matured in five ex-bourbon hogsheads filled in June 2012. Bottled in July 2023 without chill filtration, the release is an 11-year-old heavily peated single malt. An earlier 10-year-old edition was released in 2022 at the Un-Chillfiltered Collection’s standard bottling strength of 46% ABV with no added coloring. Signatory Vintage is widely regarded as one of the leading independent Scotch whisky bottlers.
Tasty stuff, as expected! It's surprisingly malt-forward and spirit-driven for a first-fill cask, in fact I'm not sure you'd pick it for a first-fill - and it's all the better for it! There are definitely shades of the aforementioned Port Askaig 100 Proof here - they're both from the same distillery after all - but this is a sweeter and more rounded malt with more cask influence (the Askaig being refill casks), and more aniseed & pepper.