Sold outJul 2026In short · Caol Ila (Islay), 13 years.
“We made a black forest ham sandwich, using our freshly whittled spurtle to toast the bun in a warm skillet, before adding a dressing of mayonnaise, dijon mustard, honey,…”Extract · full tasting notes at SMWS
SMWS 53.529 is a single cask of Caol Ila, in the Islay region, 13 years old, bottled at 57.9%, released in the Jul 2026 Outturn. Every Society bottle numbered 53.x is from Caol Ila.
Specs, price and tasting-note extract from the SMWS. Full notes on smws.com.
Hidden in a cove above Port Askaig, gazing across the churning Sound of Islay to the Paps of Jura, Caol Ila (1846) is the island's largest distillery and the quiet engine-room of Johnnie Walker. On its own, though, it is a beauty: oily and cool, olive brine and lemon and a soft grey smoke. Diageo's.