Caol Ila 11 Years Old 2014 Cask #302261 (Jewish Whisky Company)

The bottler Jewish Whisky Company selected this Caol Ila, an 11 year old, distilled in 2014, from cask 302261, bottled at 58.8%. Caol Ila wears its Islay smoke more lightly than its southern neighbours. The malt is medium peated, giving a cleaner smoke than the south shore Islays.

This was drawn off the distillery's six tall stills from peated barley, building a refined, maritime peat. An ex-Bourbon barrel gave a gentle sweetness and a creamy edge. Through the integration phase spirit and wood marry, vanillin settling into a rounded vanilla as the guaiacol phenols mellow into a softer smoke. Phenols from the peat smoke carry the medicinal, lemony edge through the years. Its peated character is built on malt smoked to a medium level of phenols. Long ageing turns the young, sharp peat into a soft, coastal smoke. Olive oil and lemon sit at the heart of the Caol Ila character.

At a hearty 58.8% it carries real weight. A clean peat with sea salt and citrus, with a creamy oak note. The texture is oily, the smoke threaded with citrus. A long, briny finish ends on lemon and soft smoke. This is the elegant, lighter side of Islay.