Caol Ila 12 Years Old 2010 Cask #318150 (Brave New Spirits)

A Caol Ila drawn by the bottler Brave New Spirits, distilled in 2010, from cask 318150, bottled at 56.2%, one of 309 bottles. Caol Ila is the lighter, more elegant face of Islay smoke. It was founded by Hector Henderson and later passed to the Distillers Company.

The spirit was distilled slowly from peated malt for a refined island smoke, for a smoke more elegant than heavy. A long spell in ex-Bourbon oak rounded the spirit gently. 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. A gentle vanillin sweetness from the oak balances the coastal phenols. The cool Islay air gives a slow, steady maturation by the shore. The distillery was expanded again in the 21st century to meet blend demand. The clean, oily spirit takes cask flavour well while holding its citrus and smoke.

Bottled at a cask strength 56.2%, it is intense. Peat, smoked fish and a citrus oil, with a light bourbon sweetness. The palate is oily and smoky, with a green citrus lift. The close is long, smoke over a citrus lift. This is an elegant Islay single malt.