Caol Ila 8 Years Old (64.9%)

Unpeated Style – Diageo Special Releases 2007

700ml / 64.9%

Single Malt

$156

This Caol Ila comes from the distillery, an 8 year old, at 64.9%. Soft ash and smoked citrus sit on an oily body. An east coast Islay distillery on the narrow Sound of Islay. Founded at Port Askaig in 1846, it is Islay’s biggest distillery. Its tall stills give a lighter, cleaner island spirit. This is the smoky workhorse of Johnnie Walker in single malt form.

In stock

Available

SKU CIL009 Categories Caol Ila, Islay, Scottish Whisky, Whiskey Brand: Caol Ila

Description

An official Caol Ila, an 8 year old, at 64.9%, 9690 bottles in all. Caol Ila is among the most widely traded of Islay's single malts. Tall stills and a clean cut give the spirit its oily, lemony lightness.

Made from medium phenol malt on soft Loch nam Ban water, building a refined, maritime peat. An American oak hogshead added vanilla and a light toffee. In these extractive early years the oak surrenders vanillin as vanilla and cis oak lactones as coconut, while guaiacol carries a vivid, lemony peat smoke. The peat here is medium rather than heavy, so fruit and smoke share the glass. The clean spirit shows the cask clearly, which is why it suits so many wood types. Caol Ila's smoke leans to lemon, olive oil and brine rather than tar or iodine. Time in oak deepens the oily body while the maritime smoke stays bright. Malt comes from the Port Ellen maltings on the south of the island.

At 64.9% without water it is rich and full. Smoke, grapefruit and a maritime salt, with a light bourbon sweetness. A sea salt and an olive oil note sit under the smoke. The smoke fades slow over citrus and a mineral tang. This is the smoky malt of the Sound of Islay.