Caol Ila 14 Years Old 2003 Cask #302280 (G&M)

The Elgin house Gordon and MacPhail released this Caol Ila, a 14 year old, distilled in 2003, from cask 302280, bottled at 53%, one of 194 bottles. Caol Ila is an east coast Islay distillery on the strait facing Jura. The distillery was expanded again in the 21st century to meet blend demand.

It was drawn off the distillery's six tall stills from peated barley, for a smoky spirit with a citrus lift. An American oak hogshead added vanilla and a light toffee. Through integration the spirit and cask settle, lactone coconut and a soft vanillin balancing the easing phenols. The lighter style means the cask and the citrus speak alongside the peat. The spirit's high notes of lemon and grass survive even long maturation. The cool Islay air gives a slow, steady maturation by the shore. Water falls to the distillery from Loch nam Ban in the hills above.

At a hearty 53% it carries real weight. Peat smoke, citrus and a soft oil, with vanilla and a soft caramel from the wood. Smoke, lemon and a saline minerality fill the middle. The close is long, smoke over a citrus lift. This is a clean Islay smoke from the island's largest distillery.