Description

South Star Islay (Caol Ila) Aged 8 Years Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)

Volume: 700ml           ABV: 48%           Age: 8 Years Old       Country: Scotland

Date of Distilling: 2013
Date of Bottling: 2021
Matured In: Matured in 10 x Hogsheads Vatted (meaning a batch of 10 hogshead casks, likely ex-bourbon, were combined). This allows the Caol Ila spirit to shine without being overly dominated by heavy cask influence.

South Star Spirits is an independent bottling company founded by four whisky enthusiasts who share a passion for Scotch whisky. Their long-term vision includes building their own distillery, Dál Riata Distillery, in Campbeltown. While that project is underway, they’ve launched this series of independently bottled single malts to introduce themselves to the whisky world. They aim to celebrate Scotland’s diverse whisky regions and offer quality, matured single malts.

Independent bottlers purchase casks of whisky directly from distilleries (or brokers) and then bottle them under their own label. This allows them to release whiskies from distilleries that might not have official single malt bottlings, or to showcase different expressions (e.g., specific cask types or ages) that the distillery might not offer. This is what South Star Spirits is doing with their Highland, Islay, and Speyside releases. The specific distillery is often kept undisclosed, adding an element of mystery, but in this case, it’s widely known to be Caol Ila.

Caol Ila (pronounced “Cull Eela,” Gaelic for “Sound of Islay”) is beautifully situated on the northeastern coast of Islay, overlooking the narrow Sound of Islay towards the Isle of Jura. It’s the largest distillery on Islay by volume. Founded in 1846, Caol Ila has a long and industrious history. It’s been rebuilt and expanded significantly over the years, notably in the 1970s when its production capacity was greatly increased. It’s currently owned by Diageo, one of the world’s largest spirits companies. A vast majority (around 85%) of Caol Ila’s production goes into blended Scotch whiskies, most notably Johnnie Walker. This makes it an incredibly important, yet often unsung, workhorse of the industry. Its distinct peaty character is crucial for many popular blends. Caol Ila is often described as a lighter, more elegant Islay malt compared to the powerhouses like Laphroaig or Ardbeg. It’s known for its balance of aromatic smoke, maritime notes, and a surprising underlying sweetness and fruitiness.

Our Tasting Notes

Nose: A quintessential Islay opening – clean, crisp peat smoke, reminiscent of a distant bonfire or a smouldering cigar. This is beautifully interwoven with fresh sea spray, a hint of iodine, and a subtle underlying sweetness of lemon zest and green apple.

Palate: The palate mirrors the nose with a surge of briny maritime notes and an immediate burst of aromatic peat. There’s a surprising sweetness here too, like vanilla fudge or lightly salted caramel, providing a lovely contrast to the smoke. The smoke evolves from sharp and medicinal to a more earthy, ashy quality, while retaining a clean edge. Hints of black pepper and a touch of minty freshness emerge, adding complexity. Medium-bodied and slightly oily, coating the mouth wonderfully thanks to the non-chill filtration, which carries the smoky and sweet notes effectively.

Finish: A long, lingering finish dominated by the persistent, clean peat smoke and a pleasant salinity. A subtle warmth develops, leaving a final impression of extinguished coals and a touch of sweet liquorice.

Overall Impression: A fantastic example of a younger, vibrant Caol Ila. It’s intensely Islay with its signature smoke and coastal character, but delivered with an elegance and underlying fruitiness that makes it exceptionally approachable for a peated whisky, and highly enjoyable for seasoned Islay fans. Non-chill filtered (retains more of the natural oils and esters for a richer mouthfeel and flavour).