Caol Ila 10 Years Old 2012 Cask #300386 (Blackadder)

The bottler Blackadder released this Caol Ila, a 10 year old, distilled in 2012, from cask 300386, bottled at 58.2%, one of 208 bottles. Caol Ila is the most heavily bottled of all the Islay malts. The original Victorian distillery was almost entirely rebuilt in the modern era.

This was distilled with a long fermentation and a clean cut, for an oily smoke that leans to lemon and brine. A first fill sherry cask drove a deep, figgy, nutty character. By the integrating teens harsher congeners fade and ethyl esters build, lending a riper citrus over the softening peat. Active wood frames the smoke without smothering the citrus beneath. A gentle vanillin sweetness from the oak balances the coastal phenols. Time in oak deepens the oily body while the maritime smoke stays bright. The malt is medium peated, giving a cleaner smoke than the south shore Islays.

At a natural 58.2% it is full and oily. A fresh peat smoke over oily lemon, with raisin, date and treacle from the cask. Beneath the smoke run lemon, brine and a peppery oil. Ash, lemon and brine draw out the close. This is a refined, citrus driven Islay smoke.