Caol Ila 15 Years Old 2003 Cask #302464 (LMDW)

From the bottler La Maison du Whisky, a 15 year old Caol Ila, distilled in 2003, from cask 302464, bottled at 55.9%, one of 290 bottles. Caol Ila is the smoky backbone of the Johnnie Walker blends. It was founded by Hector Henderson and later passed to the Distillers Company.

It was made from medium peated malt for a clean, smoky spirit, giving the lighter Islay style its shape. An American oak hogshead added vanilla and a light toffee. At oxidative maturity aldehydes and esters lend dried fruit while ellagitannins add a drying, structured grip, the smoke now mellow. A clean smoke and a coastal salt define the distillery style. Long ageing turns the young, sharp peat into a soft, coastal smoke. 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 55.9% it is concentrated. Wood smoke, lemon zest and brine, with a soft vanilla from the oak. A sea salt and an olive oil note sit under the smoke. The close is long, smoke over a citrus lift. This is a clean, smoky Islay single malt from Caol Ila.