Caol Ila 14 Years Old 2006 Cask #DL 14650 (Old Particular)

A Caol Ila drawn by the Glasgow bottler Douglas Laing, distilled in 2006, from cask DL 14650, bottled at 54.8%, one of 390 bottles. Caol Ila makes a clean, maritime malt on the east coast of Islay. Port Askaig is a tiny settlement on the rugged east coast of Islay.

The spirit was worked from peated barley through the distillery's tall stills, giving the lighter Islay style its shape. Maturation in an Oloroso cask laid dried fruit over the make. Through the integration phase spirit and wood marry, vanillin settling into a rounded vanilla as the guaiacol phenols mellow into a softer smoke. Refill oak lets the maritime peat and lemon of the spirit lead the way. Cool, damp warehousing slows the loss of the angel's share over the years. The spirit's high notes of lemon and grass survive even long maturation. Water falls to the distillery from Loch nam Ban in the hills above.

At 54.8%, undiluted, it is bold and clean. A clean ashy smoke with lime and brine, with raisin, date and treacle from the cask. Beneath the smoke run lemon, brine and a peppery oil. The smoke fades slow over citrus and a mineral tang. This is a lemony, coastal Islay single malt.