Caol Ila 15 Years Old 2010 Cask #3132041/2010 (The Old Friends)

The bottler The Old Friends released this Caol Ila, a 15 year old, distilled in 2010, from cask 3132041/2010, bottled at 57%, one of 280 bottles. Caol Ila sends more spirit to independent bottlers than almost any malt. The six tall stills sit behind picture windows looking out to Jura.

This was distilled in tall stills that lend the smoke an oily lightness, for the clean island smoke prized by blenders. Maturation came in ex-Bourbon wood, the oak quiet behind the spirit. Through oxidative maturity the phenols mellow and esters concentrate, citrus turning to candied lemon over a soft peat. A slow maturation in the cool island air keeps the spirit fresh and oily. The original Victorian distillery was almost entirely rebuilt in the modern era. Long ageing turns the young, sharp peat into a soft, coastal smoke. The oily texture comes from the spirit cut, the cask adding depth around it.

At 57% without water it is rich and full. A coastal peat with citrus and pepper, with a quiet vanilla under the smoke. Lemon, olive oil and a soft ash run through the middle. A long maritime smoke closes it. This is one of the most versatile of the Islay malts.