Caol Ila 10 Years Old 2010 Cask #316643 (Signatory)

This Caol Ila was bottled by the Pitlochry bottler Signatory Vintage, a 10 year old, distilled in 2010, from cask 316643, bottled at 59.5%, one of 599 bottles. Caol Ila is an Islay malt of clean, oily, citrus driven smoke. It was founded by Hector Henderson and later passed to the Distillers Company.

Drawn off the distillery's six tall stills from peated barley, giving a bright, citrus driven peat. A sherry cask wrapped the spirit in dried fruit and a nutty depth. Across the integration years the smoke loses its edge as esters and vanillin weave into a smoother, citrussy whole. The peat here is medium rather than heavy, so fruit and smoke share the glass. The cool Islay air gives a slow, steady maturation by the shore. The clean spirit shows the cask clearly, which is why it suits so many wood types. Malt comes from the Port Ellen maltings on the south of the island.

Undiluted at 59.5%, it is powerful. A fresh peat smoke over oily lemon, with dried fruit, fig and walnut from the cask. The palate is oily and smoky, with a green citrus lift. A long, coastal finish carries a peaty warmth. This is a maritime, lemony Islay single malt.