Caol Ila 11 Years Old 2005 Cask #301521+23+24+27 (G&M)

The Elgin house Gordon and MacPhail selected this Caol Ila, an 11 year old, distilled in 2005, from cask 301521+23+24+27, bottled at 57.3%. Caol Ila makes a clean, maritime malt on the east coast of Islay. From a small Victorian works it grew into one of Scotland's biggest malt distilleries.

The spirit was run from peated malt through tall stills on Loch nam Ban water, for a smoke more elegant than heavy. Maturation in an Oloroso cask laid dried fruit over the make. Integration sees eugenol (clove) and vanillin (vanilla) fold into the spirit, the medicinal smoke gentler now. Phenols from the peat smoke carry the medicinal, lemony edge through the years. Its spirit also feeds blends such as Bell's and Black Bottle. The six tall stills sit behind picture windows looking out to Jura. Malt comes from the Port Ellen maltings on the south of the island.

At a natural 57.3% it is full and oily. Peat smoke, citrus and a soft oil, with dried fruit, fig and walnut from the cask. Soft smoke and citrus sit behind the cask. The finish runs oily, smoky and clean. This is a lemony, coastal Islay single malt.