Caol Ila 11 Years Old 1996 Best Casks of Scotland (Jean Boyer)

The bottler Jean Boyer selected this Caol Ila, an 11 year old, distilled in 1996, bottled at 43%, one of 720 bottles. Caol Ila is Diageo's largest Islay distillery. It was founded by Hector Henderson and later passed to the Distillers Company.

The spirit was made from medium phenol malt on soft Loch nam Ban water, for the clean island smoke prized by blenders. An American oak cask shaped it, soft and sweet beneath the peat. In integration the oak lactones (coconut) and vanillin (vanilla) knit with the phenols, the whole growing rounder and oilier. Refill oak lets the maritime peat and lemon of the spirit lead the way. The lighter style means the cask and the citrus speak alongside the peat. Caol Ila's smoke leans to lemon, olive oil and brine rather than tar or iodine. The distillery was expanded again in the 21st century to meet blend demand. The clean, oily spirit takes cask flavour well while holding its citrus and smoke.

At 43% it is smooth and clean. A lemony Islay smoke over olive oil, with a light bourbon sweetness. Soft smoke and citrus sit behind the cask. A long maritime smoke closes it. This is Caol Ila's lighter, maritime Islay smoke.