Caol Ila 12 Years Old 2010 (Connoisseurs Choice)

A 12 year old Caol Ila from the Elgin house Gordon and MacPhail, bottled at 45%, one of 3900 bottles. Caol Ila stands below a steep brae on Islay's rugged east shore. The malt is medium peated, giving a cleaner smoke than the south shore Islays.

The spirit was worked from peated barley through the distillery's tall stills, for a smoke more elegant than heavy. A red wine cask lent berry fruit and a dry, tannic edge. Integration sees eugenol (clove) and vanillin (vanilla) fold into the spirit, the medicinal smoke gentler now. The spirit's high notes of lemon and grass survive even long maturation. Its peated character is built on malt smoked to a medium level of phenols. The medium peating leaves a smoke that is firm but never heavy. Smoked citrus and a saline minerality are the hallmarks of the make. Malt comes from the Port Ellen maltings on the south of the island.

At 45% it is smooth and clean. Wood smoke, lemon zest and brine, with red berry and a dry spice from the cask. Smoked lemon and sea salt build over an oily body. A long maritime smoke closes it. This is a maritime, lemony Islay single malt.