Caol Ila 12 Years Old 2008 (Original Collection)

A 12 year old Caol Ila from Scotland's oldest independent bottler Cadenhead's, bottled at 46%. Caol Ila is an east coast Islay distillery on the strait facing Jura. Water falls to the distillery from Loch nam Ban in the hills above.

Run from peated malt through tall stills on Loch nam Ban water, for the light, maritime smoke Caol Ila is known for. A second fill bourbon cask kept the oak in the background. By the integrating teens harsher congeners fade and ethyl esters build, lending a riper citrus over the softening peat. A clean smoke and a coastal salt define the distillery style. The malt is medium peated, giving a cleaner smoke than the south shore Islays. The clean spirit shows the cask clearly, which is why it suits so many wood types. Active wood frames the smoke without smothering the citrus beneath. From a small Victorian works it grew into one of Scotland's biggest malt distilleries.

At 46% it is smooth and clean. A coastal peat with citrus and pepper, with a touch of vanilla and toffee. Beneath the smoke run lemon, brine and a peppery oil. The smoke fades slow over citrus and a mineral tang. This is an Islay malt that wears its smoke lightly.