Caol Ila 13 Years Old 2007 Cask #322178 (Moon-Import)

A 13 year old Caol Ila, this distilled in 2007 from the bottler Moon-Import, from cask 322178, bottled at 45%, one of 456 bottles. Caol Ila is the most heavily bottled of all the Islay malts. Long fermentations build the fruity, citrus notes that sit beneath the smoke.

Distilled in tall stills that lend the smoke an oily lightness, giving a clean, lemony peat. Ex-Bourbon casks held it, the gentle American oak letting the make lead. Through integration the spirit and cask settle, lactone coconut and a soft vanillin balancing the easing phenols. The clean, oily spirit takes cask flavour well while holding its citrus and smoke. The oily texture comes from the spirit cut, the cask adding depth around it. It was founded by Hector Henderson and later passed to the Distillers Company. Refill oak lets the maritime peat and lemon of the spirit lead the way.

At 45% it is smooth and clean. A clean ashy smoke with lime and brine, with a quiet vanilla under the smoke. Lemon, olive oil and a soft ash run through the middle. Smoke and sea salt see out a long finish. This is a clean Islay smoke from the island's largest distillery.