Caol Ila 10 Years Old 2011 Cask #900050 (Anam na h-Alba)

The bottler Anam na h-Alba released this Caol Ila, a 10 year old, distilled in 2011, from cask 900050, bottled at 58.5%, one of 291 bottles. Caol Ila was rebuilt in the 1970s into the large distillery it is today. The malt is medium peated, giving a cleaner smoke than the south shore Islays.

Drawn off the distillery's six tall stills from peated barley, for an oily smoke that leans to lemon and brine. Years in ex-Bourbon wood lent a soft vanilla and a coastal calm. By the integrating teens harsher congeners fade and ethyl esters build, lending a riper citrus over the softening peat. Refill oak lets the maritime peat and lemon of the spirit lead the way. The peat here is medium rather than heavy, so fruit and smoke share the glass. The make balances phenolic smoke against a bright, oily citrus. Tall stills and a clean cut give the spirit its oily, lemony lightness.

Bottled at a cask strength 58.5%, it is intense. A fresh peat smoke over oily lemon, with a light bourbon sweetness. A maritime salt and a lemon lift run through it. The finish is clean, smoky and maritime. This is a clean Islay smoke from the island's largest distillery.