Caol Ila 11 Years Old 2013 Cask #107 (Signatory)

Vintage Collection – Cask Strength

700ml / 55.1%

Single Malt

$229

Drawn by the Pitlochry bottler Signatory Vintage, an 11 year old Caol Ila, at 55.1%. Smoke, sea spray and an oily lemon fill the glass, with dried fruit, fig and walnut from the cask. Most of its make goes into the Johnnie Walker blends. Among the most widely traded of Islay’s single malts. This is a versatile Islay single malt from Port Askaig.

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SKU CIL924 Categories Caol Ila, Islay, Scottish Whisky, Whiskey Brand: Caol Ila

Description

The Pitlochry bottler Signatory Vintage bottled this Caol Ila, an 11 year old, distilled in 2013, from cask 107, bottled at 55.1%, one of 681 bottles. Caol Ila is the smoky backbone of the Johnnie Walker blends. The malt is medium peated, giving a cleaner smoke than the south shore Islays.

The spirit was drawn off the distillery's six tall stills from peated barley, for the clean island smoke prized by blenders. A first fill sherry cask drove a deep, figgy, nutty character. Integration sees eugenol (clove) and vanillin (vanilla) fold into the spirit, the medicinal smoke gentler now. Smoked citrus and a saline minerality are the hallmarks of the make. Diageo's Special Releases have featured both peated and unpeated Caol Ila. Much of the spirit leaves the island by sea to mature on the mainland. The spirit's lightness lets sherry, wine and bourbon casks all show through.

At its natural 55.1% it is concentrated. A coastal peat with citrus and pepper, with dried fruit, fig and walnut from the cask. The oily body carries the smoke long and clean. A long, coastal finish carries a peaty warmth. This is the elegant, lighter side of Islay.