Caol Ila 11 Years Old 1999 Cask #305331 (G&M)

The Elgin house Gordon and MacPhail bottled this Caol Ila, an 11 year old, distilled in 1999, from cask 305331, bottled at 61%, one of 258 bottles. Caol Ila is Diageo's largest Islay distillery. Its peated character is built on malt smoked to a medium level of phenols.

This was worked from peated barley through the distillery's tall stills, for a smoky spirit with a citrus lift. A first fill sherry cask drove a deep, figgy, nutty character. Through integration the spirit and cask settle, lactone coconut and a soft vanillin balancing the easing phenols. The spirit's lightness lets sherry, wine and bourbon casks all show through. It was founded by Hector Henderson and later passed to the Distillers Company. The make balances phenolic smoke against a bright, oily citrus. A slow maturation in the cool island air keeps the spirit fresh and oily.

At cask strength 61% it is muscular. Wood smoke, lemon zest and brine, with dried fruit, fig and walnut from the cask. Beneath the smoke run lemon, brine and a peppery oil. A long maritime smoke closes it. This is a clean, smoky Islay single malt from Caol Ila.