Caol Ila 14 Years Old 2011 Cask #900098 (Best Dram)

A Caol Ila of a 14 year old chosen by the bottler Best Dram, distilled in 2011, from cask 900098, bottled at 58.7%, one of 279 bottles. Caol Ila sends more spirit to independent bottlers than almost any malt. The malt is medium peated, giving a cleaner smoke than the south shore Islays.

Here the spirit was made from medium peated malt for a clean, smoky spirit, building a refined, maritime peat. A wine cask held it, layering berry fruit over the malt. Integration sees eugenol (clove) and vanillin (vanilla) fold into the spirit, the medicinal smoke gentler now. Long ageing turns the young, sharp peat into a soft, coastal smoke. The warehouses are ranged along the rocky shore at the water's edge. It was founded by Hector Henderson and later passed to the Distillers Company. Active wood frames the smoke without smothering the citrus beneath. A clean smoke and a coastal salt define the distillery style.

At cask strength 58.7% it is muscular. Peat smoke, citrus and a soft oil, with red berry and a dry spice from the cask. A sea salt and an olive oil note sit under the smoke. The finish is long, smoky and citrussy. This is an elegant Islay single malt.