Caol Ila 12 Years Old 2011 Cask #301634 (Elixir)

Sukhinder Singh's Elixir Distillers selected this Caol Ila, a 12 year old, distilled in 2011, from cask 301634, bottled at 61.2%, one of 600 bottles. Caol Ila has distilled at Port Askaig since the middle of the 19th century. Diageo's Special Releases have featured both peated and unpeated Caol Ila.

It was run from peated malt through tall stills on Loch nam Ban water, giving the lighter Islay style its shape. Ex-Bourbon casks held it, the gentle American oak letting the make lead. Through the integration phase spirit and wood marry, vanillin settling into a rounded vanilla as the guaiacol phenols mellow into a softer smoke. The oily texture comes from the spirit cut, the cask adding depth around it. The make balances phenolic smoke against a bright, oily citrus. The peat here is medium rather than heavy, so fruit and smoke share the glass.

At its natural 61.2% it is concentrated. A coastal peat with citrus and pepper, with a light vanilla and a touch of coconut. A sea salt and an olive oil note sit under the smoke. The smoke fades slow over citrus and a mineral tang. This is an Islay malt that wears its smoke lightly.