Caol Ila 10 Years Old

This distillery bottling of Caol Ila is a 10 year old, at 65.8%, 6000 bottles in all. Caol Ila is among the most widely traded of Islay's single malts. Most of its peated malt is destined for the Johnnie Walker blends.

This was drawn off the distillery's six tall stills from peated barley, building a refined, maritime peat. An ex-Bourbon barrel shaped it, vanilla and a light sweetness under the smoke. By the integrating teens harsher congeners fade and ethyl esters build, lending a riper citrus over the softening peat. The lighter style means the cask and the citrus speak alongside the peat. Sea air works into the maturing casks, lending a briny, coastal lift. The spirit's high notes of lemon and grass survive even long maturation. The clean spirit shows the cask clearly, which is why it suits so many wood types. Refill oak lets the maritime peat and lemon of the spirit lead the way.

At 65.8%, undiluted, it is bold and clean. Sea spray, smoke and a citrus lift, with a quiet vanilla under the smoke. A sea salt and an olive oil note sit under the smoke. A long, coastal finish carries a peaty warmth. This is a lemony, coastal Islay single malt.