Caol Ila 11 Years Old 1996 Sestante (Silver Seal)

A Caol Ila drawn by the bottler Silver Seal, distilled in 1996, bottled at 61.8%, one of 306 bottles. Caol Ila is an east coast Islay distillery on the strait facing Jura. A few weeks each year the distillery runs an unpeated, Highland style spirit.

Here the spirit was run from peated malt through tall stills on Loch nam Ban water, for a smoky spirit with a citrus lift. An ex-Bourbon barrel gave a gentle sweetness and a creamy edge. By the integrating teens harsher congeners fade and ethyl esters build, lending a riper citrus over the softening peat. The make balances phenolic smoke against a bright, oily citrus. The lighter style means the cask and the citrus speak alongside the peat. Maturation by the sea gives the malt its mineral, sea spray character. The spirit's lightness lets sherry, wine and bourbon casks all show through. Smoked citrus and a saline minerality are the hallmarks of the make.

At cask strength 61.8% it is muscular. A clean ashy smoke with lime and brine, with a creamy oak note. Soft smoke and citrus sit behind the cask. The close is long, smoke over a citrus lift. This is an Islay malt that wears its smoke lightly.