Caol Ila 13 Years Old 2001 Cask #303799 (Samaroli)

The Italian bottler Samaroli selected this Caol Ila, a 13 year old, distilled in 2001, from cask 303799, bottled at 45%, one of 330 bottles. Caol Ila wears its Islay smoke more lightly than its southern neighbours. The six tall stills sit behind picture windows looking out to Jura.

It was made from medium phenol malt on soft Loch nam Ban water, giving a bright, citrus driven peat. An American oak hogshead added vanilla and a light toffee. Through integration the spirit and cask settle, lactone coconut and a soft vanillin balancing the easing phenols. Smoked citrus and a saline minerality are the hallmarks of the make. The cool Islay air gives a slow, steady maturation by the shore. The original Victorian distillery was almost entirely rebuilt in the modern era. The lighter style means the cask and the citrus speak alongside the peat.

At 45% it is clean and coastal. A clean ashy smoke with lime and brine, with vanilla and a soft caramel from the wood. The texture is oily, the smoke threaded with citrus. A long, coastal finish carries a peaty warmth. This is Caol Ila's lighter, maritime Islay smoke.