Caol Ila 14 Years Old 2011 Cask #MoS 25024 (Malts of Scotland)

The bottler Malts of Scotland released this Caol Ila, a 14 year old, distilled in 2011, from cask MoS 25024, bottled at 54.2%, one of 280 bottles. Caol Ila is an Islay malt of clean, oily, citrus driven smoke. From a small Victorian works it grew into one of Scotland's biggest malt distilleries.

This was worked from peated barley through the distillery's tall stills, giving the lighter Islay style its shape. An Oloroso hogshead lent raisin, fig and a savoury edge. Integration sees eugenol (clove) and vanillin (vanilla) fold into the spirit, the medicinal smoke gentler now. The tall stills and a high cut give a lighter, cleaner spirit than the southern Islays. Active wood frames the smoke without smothering the citrus beneath. A slow maturation in the cool island air keeps the spirit fresh and oily. The peat here is medium rather than heavy, so fruit and smoke share the glass.

At a full 54.2% it is bold and oily. A clean maritime smoke with lemon and brine, with dried fruit, fig and walnut from the cask. A sea salt and an olive oil note sit under the smoke. Ash, lemon and brine draw out the close. This is a clean Islay smoke from the island's largest distillery.