Caol Ila 12 Years Old 2005 Cask #302029 (G&M)

A 12 year old Caol Ila, this distilled in 2005 from the Elgin house Gordon and MacPhail, from cask 302029, bottled at 46%, one of 220 bottles. Caol Ila takes its name from the Gaelic for the Sound of Islay. The six tall stills sit behind picture windows looking out to Jura.

Run through tall copper stills that keep the smoke light, for the light, maritime smoke Caol Ila is known for. An ex-Bourbon barrel shaped it, vanilla and a light sweetness under the smoke. In integration the oak lactones (coconut) and vanillin (vanilla) knit with the phenols, the whole growing rounder and oilier. Refill oak lets the maritime peat and lemon of the spirit lead the way. The cool Islay air gives a slow, steady maturation by the shore. The warehouses are ranged along the rocky shore at the water's edge. The malt is medium peated, giving a cleaner smoke than the south shore Islays.

At an approachable 46% it is balanced. Wood smoke, lemon zest and brine, with a light vanilla and a touch of coconut. The texture is oily, the smoke threaded with citrus. Ash, lemon and brine draw out the close. This is Caol Ila's lighter, maritime Islay smoke.