Caol Ila 12 Years Old 2008 Art Edition No. 3 (Whiskyjace)

This Caol Ila was bottled by the bottler Whiskyjace, a 12 year old, distilled in 2008, bottled at 57.8%, one of 107 bottles. Caol Ila is an Islay malt of clean, oily, citrus driven smoke. Its spirit also feeds blends such as Bell's and Black Bottle.

Here the spirit was drawn off a high cut from peated barley, shaping the lighter side of Islay. 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. Caol Ila's smoke leans to lemon, olive oil and brine rather than tar or iodine. The medium peating leaves a smoke that is firm but never heavy. Active wood frames the smoke without smothering the citrus beneath. The clean, lemony smoke has made it a favourite of blenders for generations. A slow maturation in the cool island air keeps the spirit fresh and oily.

At a natural 57.8% it is full and oily. A clean ashy smoke with lime and brine, with dried fruit, fig and walnut from the cask. Soft smoke and citrus sit behind the cask. The finish is long, smoky and citrussy. This is a refined, citrus driven Islay smoke.