Caol Ila 11 Years Old 2013 Cask #319952 (Lady of the Glen)

A Caol Ila of an 11 year old chosen by the bottler Lady of the Glen, distilled in 2013, from cask 319952, bottled at 56.6%, one of 123 bottles. Caol Ila takes its name from the Gaelic for the Sound of Islay. Long fermentations build the fruity, citrus notes that sit beneath the smoke.

Drawn off the distillery's six tall stills from peated barley, giving a bright, citrus driven peat. It rested in ex-Bourbon oak, the wood adding only a light vanilla. Integration sees eugenol (clove) and vanillin (vanilla) fold into the spirit, the medicinal smoke gentler now. Olive oil and lemon sit at the heart of the Caol Ila character. From a small Victorian works it grew into one of Scotland's biggest malt distilleries. The lighter style means the cask and the citrus speak alongside the peat. Most of its peated malt is destined for the Johnnie Walker blends.

At a hearty 56.6% it carries real weight. A coastal peat with citrus and pepper, with a light vanilla and a touch of coconut. Lemon, olive oil and a soft ash run through the middle. Lemon, soft ash and sea salt see it out. This is a clean Islay smoke from the island's largest distillery.