Caol Ila 18 Years Old 2006 Cadenhead’s Club (Cadenhead’s)

This Caol Ila was bottled by Scotland's oldest independent bottler Cadenhead's, an 18 year old, distilled in 2006, bottled at 57.1%, one of 210 bottles. Caol Ila is the lighter, more elegant face of Islay smoke. It was founded by Hector Henderson and later passed to the Distillers Company.

Made from medium phenol malt on soft Loch nam Ban water, giving a bright, citrus driven peat. A sherry butt held it, the wood lending raisin and walnut. At oxidative maturity vanillin and lactones are fully expressed and ellagitannin tannins lend a polished, drying frame to the smoke. The cool Islay air gives a slow, steady maturation by the shore. Maturation by the sea gives the malt its mineral, sea spray character. Its peated character is built on malt smoked to a medium level of phenols. A ferry crosses the Sound from Port Askaig to Jura and the mainland.

At 57.1% without water it is rich and full. Sea spray, smoke and a citrus lift, with dried fruit, fig and walnut from the cask. The oily body carries the smoke long and clean. Smoke and sea salt see out a long finish. This is a clean, smoky Islay single malt from Caol Ila.