Caol Ila 10 Years Old 2013 Cask #C24115 (Claxton’s)

A Caol Ila of a 10 year old chosen by the bottler Claxton's, distilled in 2013, from cask C24115, bottled at 58.3%, one of 293 bottles. Caol Ila is the lighter, more elegant face of Islay smoke. The clean, lemony smoke has made it a favourite of blenders for generations.

It was run through tall copper stills that keep the smoke light, for a smoky spirit with a citrus lift. First fill bourbon gave it a fuller vanilla and a touch of coconut. In integration the oak lactones (coconut) and vanillin (vanilla) knit with the phenols, the whole growing rounder and oilier. The oily texture comes from the spirit cut, the cask adding depth around it. The malt is medium peated, giving a cleaner smoke than the south shore Islays. The make balances phenolic smoke against a bright, oily citrus. Its peated character is built on malt smoked to a medium level of phenols.

Bottled at a cask strength 58.3%, it is intense. Peat smoke, citrus and a soft oil, with vanilla and a soft caramel from the wood. Beneath the smoke run lemon, brine and a peppery oil. A long, briny finish ends on lemon and soft smoke. This is a clean Islay smoke from the island's largest distillery.