Caol ila 24 years old 175th anniversary

You've likely encountered this striking Caol Ila bottle, the 175th Anniversary edition, which diverges significantly from the core range's usual graphics. Its artistic design, celebrating 175 years since the distillery's 1846 founding, draws inspiration from the 6,400 sunrises it has witnessed. This review is part of my special whisky series on the journey to 1,000 critiques, marking my 994th assessment. Bottled at 52.1% ABV, this is a 24-year-old expression, with a limited release of only 3,000 bottles. The aroma is quite refined, featuring salty prunes and a note reminiscent of tequila or mezcal, alongside salty mango, oranges, and peppery spice. After a few sips, the scent evolves into chocolate brownies and honey. The elegance persists on the palate, with gooseberries, lemon peel, and a salty character. Maritime notes like oysters are present, with chocolate mingling with salt, creating a fresh and briny sensation. The finish is pleasant, though slightly less impactful than the palate. It offers citric lime with a smoky, maritime conclusion, sea salt, and a marvelous smoky overall impression. In summary, this is among the finest expressions I've sampled from this distillery. We must be honest; Caol Ila is known for producing an excessive amount of whisky, making it the source for at least 75% of all independent Islay bottlings. This is a very good, limited whisky. Happy birthday, smoky Caol Ila! My rating is 91 out of 100.