Caol Ila 10 Years Old 2011 Cask #312139 (Pendulum Spirits Ltd)

A 10 year old Caol Ila from the bottler Pendulum Spirits Ltd, from cask 312139, bottled at 55.3%, one of 288 bottles. Caol Ila is a maritime malt, matured within sound of the sea. Long fermentations build the fruity, citrus notes that sit beneath the smoke.

The spirit was worked from peated malt for the lighter Islay style, building the elegant Islay smoke at its heart. An American oak cask shaped it, soft and sweet beneath the peat. 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. Time in oak deepens the oily body while the maritime smoke stays bright. Maturation by the sea gives the malt its mineral, sea spray character. The distillery was expanded again in the 21st century to meet blend demand.

At a full 55.3% it is bold and oily. Wood smoke, lemon zest and brine, with a creamy oak note. The oily body carries the smoke long and clean. A long, briny finish ends on lemon and soft smoke. This is an Islay malt that wears its smoke lightly.