Caol Ila 11 Years Old 2006 Cask #306189+306191+306195 (G&M)

The Elgin house Gordon and MacPhail released this Caol Ila, an 11 year old, distilled in 2006, from cask 306189+306191+306195, bottled at 59.8%. Caol Ila has been bottled at every age from young and fierce to old and waxy. Most of its peated malt is destined for the Johnnie Walker blends.

The spirit was made from medium peated malt for a clean, smoky spirit, shaping the lighter side of Islay. Maturation in an Oloroso cask laid dried fruit over the make. By the integrating teens harsher congeners fade and ethyl esters build, lending a riper citrus over the softening peat. The medium peating leaves a smoke that is firm but never heavy. The peat here is medium rather than heavy, so fruit and smoke share the glass. The clean, oily spirit takes cask flavour well while holding its citrus and smoke. Years in oak round the smoke, the peat mellowing while the brine stays.

Undiluted at 59.8%, it is powerful. Wood smoke, lemon zest and brine, with dried fruit, fig and walnut from the cask. A maritime salt and a lemon lift run through it. Ash, lemon and brine draw out the close. This is a refined, citrus driven Islay smoke.