Caol Ila 11 Years Old 2007 Cask #4022183 (Duncan Taylor)

The bottler Duncan Taylor released this Caol Ila, an 11 year old, distilled in 2007, from cask 4022183, bottled at 54.1%, one of 97 bottles. Caol Ila is Diageo's largest Islay distillery. The warehouses are ranged along the rocky shore at the water's edge.

Made from medium peated malt for a clean, smoky spirit, giving a bright, citrus driven peat. A first fill sherry cask drove a deep, figgy, nutty character. In integration the oak lactones (coconut) and vanillin (vanilla) knit with the phenols, the whole growing rounder and oilier. Active wood frames the smoke without smothering the citrus beneath. Caol Ila's smoke leans to lemon, olive oil and brine rather than tar or iodine. The clean, lemony smoke has made it a favourite of blenders for generations. Years in oak round the smoke, the peat mellowing while the brine stays.

At a natural 54.1% it is full and oily. Smoke, lemon and a peppery oil, with dried fruit, fig and walnut from the cask. A sea salt and an olive oil note sit under the smoke. Ash, lemon and brine draw out the close. This is a clean Islay smoke from the island's largest distillery.