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Next Auction starts Friday 29 March. Bottle Deadline: 18 March.

Caol Ila 2008 SMWS 11 Year Old 53.339

Lot: 288025

Caol Ila 2008 SMWS 11 Year Old 53.339

Winning Bid: £58

Currency Estimate

Important: Currency exchange rates are constantly changing; this feature is to be used as a guide price only. All final transactions occur in British Pounds (£).
Lot:
Distillery: 
Caol Ila
Age: 
11 Year Old
Vintage: 
2008
Region: 
Islay
Bottler: 
SMWS
Cask Type: 
refill ex-bourbon hogshead
Bottled Strength: 
59%
Bottle Size: 
70cl
Distillery Status: 
Operational
product Details

Caol Ila 2008 SMWS 11 Year Old 53.339

'Hebridean Ceviche'

The Scotch Malt Whisky Society (SMWS) was founded in 1983 by a group of friends lead by tax accountant Phillip ‘Pip’ Hills as a private members club. The concept behind the society was to source casks from all over Scotland which would then be bottled and made available exclusively to its members. Perhaps the most famous feature of these bottles are the unique codes. Each distillery is represented by a different number and the following digits indicate that particular release. That same year, the SMWS set up its first location in Leith’s Vault buildings in Edinburgh where it still stands today.

Society cask number 53 is Caol Ila, and this is the 339th SMWS bottling of its single malt. Distilled in 2008 and drawn from a refill ex-bourbon hogshead. One of 252 bottles.

Caol Ila distillery was built in 1846 by Hector Henderson, who was bought out from the venture a little over 10 year later by Bulloch Lade. The blending firm merged with DCL (now Diageo) in 1927, who still run the distillery today. In 1972 the original site was demolished and replaced by a new one. When distilling resumed in 1974, Caol Ila was the largest producer of single malt on the Isle of Islay. Despite this, due to its importance in popular blends such as Johnnie Walker, its single malt brand disappeared under United Distillers, and it was not until 2002 that it would return, when the 12 year old was revived by Diageo. The Flora & Fauna release was well-regarded in the meantime, but it was independent releases like this that gave the best opportunity to sample this much-loved single malt.

Important Notice

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Please note: Due to the various ages of bottles and their seals, condition of liquid is at the buyer's discretion and no claim can be lodged against failure/leakage in transit.