Caol Ila 10 Years Old 2014 Benchmark (Murray McDavid)

The independent Murray McDavid selected this Caol Ila, a 10 year old, distilled in 2014, bottled at 51.2%, one of 1230 bottles. Caol Ila was rebuilt in the 1970s into the large distillery it is today. From a small Victorian works it grew into one of Scotland's biggest malt distilleries.

This was made from medium peated malt for a clean, smoky spirit, for an oily smoke that leans to lemon and brine. An ex-Bourbon barrel shaped it, vanilla and a light sweetness under the smoke. In integration the oak lactones (coconut) and vanillin (vanilla) knit with the phenols, the whole growing rounder and oilier. The spirit's high notes of lemon and grass survive even long maturation. Years in oak round the smoke, the peat mellowing while the brine stays. The malt is medium peated, giving a cleaner smoke than the south shore Islays. The make balances phenolic smoke against a bright, oily citrus.

At a hearty 51.2% it carries real weight. Wood smoke, lemon zest and brine, with a light vanilla and a touch of coconut. A maritime salt and a lemon lift run through it. Lemon, soft ash and sea salt see it out. This is one of the most versatile of the Islay malts.