Caol Ila 10 Years Old 1989 Cask #2440 + 41 (Signatory)

This Caol Ila was bottled by the Pitlochry bottler Signatory Vintage, a 10 year old, distilled in 1989, from cask 2440 + 41, bottled at 43%, one of 275 bottles. Caol Ila sends more spirit to independent bottlers than almost any malt. Most of its peated malt is destined for the Johnnie Walker blends.

Here the spirit was worked from peated barley through the distillery's tall stills, giving a clean, lemony peat. A tired refill cask added little but time, the make speaking clearly. Across the integration years the smoke loses its edge as esters and vanillin weave into a smoother, citrussy whole. The lighter style means the cask and the citrus speak alongside the peat. The make balances phenolic smoke against a bright, oily citrus. Diageo's Special Releases have featured both peated and unpeated Caol Ila. The malt is medium peated, giving a cleaner smoke than the south shore Islays.

At 43% it is supple and oily. A clean peat with sea salt and citrus, with a quiet vanilla under the smoke. A sea salt and an olive oil note sit under the smoke. The finish is clean, smoky and maritime. This is Caol Ila's lighter, maritime Islay smoke.