Caol Ila 12 Years Old 2013 Cask #311868 (Blackadder)

The bottler Blackadder selected this Caol Ila, a 12 year old, distilled in 2013, from cask 311868, bottled at 57%, one of 282 bottles. Caol Ila makes a clean, maritime malt on the east coast of Islay. From a small Victorian works it grew into one of Scotland's biggest malt distilleries.

It was made from medium peated malt for a clean, smoky spirit, for an oily smoke that leans to lemon and brine. Refill American oak let the spirit speak, adding a quiet honeyed note. By the integrating teens harsher congeners fade and ethyl esters build, lending a riper citrus over the softening peat. Long ageing turns the young, sharp peat into a soft, coastal smoke. The tall stills and a high cut give a lighter, cleaner spirit than the southern Islays. Olive oil and lemon sit at the heart of the Caol Ila character. The original Victorian distillery was almost entirely rebuilt in the modern era.

At cask strength 57% it is muscular. Smoke, lemon and a peppery oil, with a touch of vanilla and toffee. The oily body carries the smoke long and clean. The finish is long, smoky and citrussy. This is an elegant Islay single malt.