Caol Ila 8 Years Old 2009 Cask #314664 (Signatory)

The Pitlochry bottler Signatory Vintage bottled this Caol Ila, an 8 year old, distilled in 2009, from cask 314664, bottled at 46%, one of 292 bottles. Caol Ila is one of the largest malt distilleries in all of Scotland. The clean, lemony smoke has made it a favourite of blenders for generations.

This was drawn off a high cut from peated barley, giving a clean, lemony peat. Maturation came in ex-Bourbon wood, the oak quiet behind the spirit. In these extractive early years the oak surrenders vanillin as vanilla and cis oak lactones as coconut, while guaiacol carries a vivid, lemony peat smoke. Smoked citrus and a saline minerality are the hallmarks of the make. The medium peating leaves a smoke that is firm but never heavy. The six tall stills sit behind picture windows looking out to Jura. Water falls to the distillery from Loch nam Ban in the hills above.

At an approachable 46% it is balanced. Smoked lemon, brine and a green olive note, with vanilla and a honeyed edge from the cask. Soft smoke and citrus sit behind the cask. The smoke fades slow over citrus and a mineral tang. This is a lemony, coastal Islay single malt.