Caol Ila 11 Years Old 2014 Cask #386648 (James Eadie)

A Caol Ila of an 11 year old chosen by the bottler James Eadie, distilled in 2014, from cask 386648, bottled at 57.4%, one of 321 bottles. Caol Ila is prized for a smoke that leans to lemon and olive oil rather than tar. Much of the spirit leaves the island by sea to mature on the mainland.

This was distilled in tall stills that lend the smoke an oily lightness, for a smoke more elegant than heavy. A sherry cask gave dried fruit and a dark, nutty sweetness. Across the integration years the smoke loses its edge as esters and vanillin weave into a smoother, citrussy whole. Olive oil and lemon sit at the heart of the Caol Ila character. The malt is medium peated, giving a cleaner smoke than the south shore Islays. A ferry crosses the Sound from Port Askaig to Jura and the mainland. Tall stills and a clean cut give the spirit its oily, lemony lightness.

At a natural 57.4% it is full and oily. Smoke, grapefruit and a maritime salt, with a dry, nutty edge from the cask. The texture is oily, the smoke threaded with citrus. Ash, lemon and brine draw out the close. This is an elegant Islay single malt.