Caol Ila 11 Years Old 2007 Cask #314431 (James Eadie)

The bottler James Eadie released this Caol Ila, an 11 year old, distilled in 2007, from cask 314431, bottled at 57.4%, one of 300 bottles. Caol Ila was rebuilt in the 1970s into the large distillery it is today. The warehouses are ranged along the rocky shore at the water's edge.

The spirit was drawn off a high cut from peated barley, for the clean island smoke prized by blenders. A sherry cask wrapped the spirit in dried fruit and a nutty depth. Across the integration years the smoke loses its edge as esters and vanillin weave into a smoother, citrussy whole. The spirit's high notes of lemon and grass survive even long maturation. Maturation by the sea gives the malt its mineral, sea spray character. The malt is medium peated, giving a cleaner smoke than the south shore Islays. The medium peating leaves a smoke that is firm but never heavy.

At a hearty 57.4% it carries real weight. Peat, smoked fish and a citrus oil, with a dry, nutty, savoury depth from the cask. Smoked lemon and sea salt build over an oily body. Smoke and sea salt see out a long finish. This is a clean, smoky Islay single malt from Caol Ila.